


Avenging Justice

by ImaKaraTabiHe



Series: A Brand New World [2]
Category: Deadpool - All Media Types, Justice League - All Media Types, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dimension Travel, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Evil Organizations, Human Experimentation, Hurt Peter, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, Protective Avengers, Protective Bucky Barnes, Secret Identity, Secret Identity Fail
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-05
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-05-31 13:04:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 40
Words: 49,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6470992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImaKaraTabiHe/pseuds/ImaKaraTabiHe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A routine patrol turns into something disastrous when Peter comes across Hydra and AIM agents.</p><p>Excerpt:<br/>“Not an easy guy to find, Mr. Parker.” A man in a black uniform remarked as he ventured from the shadows. He held himself with an intimidating air, the kind of air that spoke of someone familiar with killing. Above the warnings he was getting and the pulses of electricity throughout his body, he quipped, because of course he can't keep his mouth shut (even when he knows he should). “So is this a house call, or are you just another overzealous fan?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Abduction

A 17 year old with spider DNA, Spider-man leaped through the air above the city, performing award winning acrobatics prevented from falling thanks to his web shooters as he swung through the city like an urban Tarzan. 10:30 pm and he was expected at Avengers Tower to have movie night with the gang. He had managed to stop a few robberies and muggers in the two hours of his patrol. Now he was tired and ready to hang out with his favorite superhero group, watch movies that Steve Rogers (Captain America) had yet to see, and tease Clint Barton (Hawkeye, or as he was sometimes referred to as Birdbrain or Hawkass). He hoped that Tony Stark (Ironman) would have food for him, all this vigilanti-ing made him hungry.

Pausing in his travel, he landed on a roof, crouching with his muscles as a familiar tingle from his spider sense warned him of danger. His eyes shot from side to side, looking for the cause, but the almost painful blare of his internal alarm threw him off guard. At that instant electric whips swung out of nowhere and tightly wrapped him up, the pain impeding his super strength so he couldn't escape. He gritted his teeth so tightly, he thought that he would break his own jaw somehow.

“Not an easy guy to find, Mr. Parker.” A man in a black uniform remarked as he ventured from the shadows. He held himself with an intimidating air, the kind of air that spoke of someone familiar with killing. Above the warnings he was getting and the pulses of electricity throughout his body, he quipped, because of course he can't keep his mouth shut (even when he knows he should). “So is this a house call, or are you just another overzealous fan?”

The man in black's mouth twitched slightly in annoyance and before he knew it, a heavy hand came down backhanding his cheek painfully. “Motherhugger---!!!” Peter cursed under his breath. “This is not a social call, pest. This is all business.” Peter blinked back black dots in his eyes, zooming in on a familiar symbol on the leader guy's chest. Upon seeing it, rage bubbled up in him. “Hydra.” He spat the word out like it was poison. His reaction must have been amusing because the guy smiled at him. Freaking _smiled_.

'Oh yeah, not a good sign Peter,' he acknowledged inside his head with a bit of panic festering. “Yes, Mr, Parker and it just so happens that we have a good use for one in your... unique position.” Uh-uh. He remembered what Hydra did to Bucky, Steve's old friend who Hydra had turned into a heartless assassin called the Winter Solider. “Yeah.... I'm afraid I'll have to decline your invite to Snakes Anonymous. I'm already taken.” Another back hand to the face and he was cursing his mouth so much for daring to open, let alone spill words. “Suffice to say, it's not up to you.” The man cackled slightly, sending shivers down his spine.

'Oh hell no. I am  _so_ in hot water,' he panicked. He was not getting out of this easy. Maybe not at all, but he knew his chances were so much better with friends. He ground his teeth as he forced his arms to painful bends, his left hand tapping at the communicator on his wrist. Peter tried to be calm and nonchalant about it, but it seems the man in black did not enjoy his little 'Phone-a-friend' idea as the butt of a gun came crashing down on his temple. A yelp slipped past his lips briefly as he crumbled, unconscious on the rooftop. In the distance he could just make out the tower and a tear escaped his eyes as he silently prayed help would come. A prayer he knew his friend Matt Murdock would be proud he said.

As the unconscious form of Spider-man was dragged away, bound for places, horrible things, unknown, an emergency alarm rang from Avengers Tower to the honorary Avengers like Matt Murdock (Daredevil), Wade Wilson (Deadpool), and to Logan (Wolverine of the X-Men).


	2. Escaping in the New World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter wakes up somewhere he really doesn't want to be with people he knows he doesn't like and he wants out. When the chance comes. He decides to take it.

– In an Undisclosed Location –

 

Peter came to, groggy and his body throbbing from the thrashing it took. A scared sigh escape his mouth with what he saw. The metal bars and chains on his body were hint enough that he was not in Kansas anymore (not that he had ever been there before, but you know, gotta make quips. It's what keeps his world moving). “Awake I see.” A female's voice jerked his attention to the hallway outside of his cell. A plump dark skinned woman looked down her nose at him, her eyes hard without emotion. It reminded him slightly of Natasha Romanov (except she wasn't evil, she was the Black Widow of the Avengers, badass spy). “Gotta tell you, these digs are not the five star hotel that I was expecting from Hydra.” He remarked sarcastically, his brain searching for answers.

She laughed, a deep dangerous sounding laugh. “Well I'm sure we're a lot better compared to Hydra.” Peter perked up at his. 'Not Hydra? Is that good or totally bad news?' He paid more attention to the woman. “We are Cadmus, a bit similar to Hydra but Hydra is nothing in this World.” A chilling thought entered his mind and he shook his head, painfully. There was no logic to it and she surely hadn't meant what she said. No way in Hell was he in another world. Time to fish. “I'm sorry,” he pointedly asked her, “did you say 'in this World'? Is this not the world where the Avengers kick alien butt?” The woman grimaced, her laughter seemingly erased from existence. “No, Peter, this is my World. Here Cadmus will reign supreme.”

And he can't help it. The slip of of 'will' is more than enough information he needs, as he discards the shocking fact of being in another world for later. “So you mean you're not reigning supreme now. There's obviously someone blocking your petty goal of world domination.” He had to stop quipping or he was never going to make it back home. The woman's eyes were filled with absolute hatred and loathing that Peter felt like he might die if she had the power to kill with one look. “Not for long. Now that we have you we're finally going to erase the Justice League from existence,” she stated with such certainty the alarms in Peter's head were going off. 'Yeah, you're screwed,' he quipped to himself. “With all due respect, scary evil lady, what makes you think that I will help you at all?” He asked defiantly.

The answer he got made his blood run cold and he mentally begged the Avengers to save him. “Hydra has given us a some details on you. You have a range of excellent skills. Hydra also provided us with their information on the Winter Soldier Project. Using that project we will make you into the perfect soldier, willing and able to destroy the Justice League and all who get in the way of Cadmus. All we have to do is override your memories and you'll forget everything about being Spider-man, about being Peter Parker.” Mentally, inside, he was panicking like the world was falling apart. Outside, he put on his superhero face and smiled a silly smile at her. “Well as much as I feel loved and flattered by my perfection, I'm good enough as is. So, I refuse.” 

“You don't get to refuse.” Guards, soldiers, lab coats approached him, opening his cage and threatening him with weapons. “First,” she spoke as they hauled him to his feet and practically started to drag him out of the cage, “you will be tested and then we will commence Project Rebirth Spider, where you'll be mind wiped and trained with the best all to take down the Justice League.” 'Oh yeah,' he remarked as they dragged him off for testing and experiments, 'I'm screwed.'

For two weeks Cadmus tested his physical capabilities. He was thrown into rooms and repeatedly battered, physically by enemies, all for the sake of mapping out his healing factor. From breaks to bruises, to even being cut open and prodded, he experienced so much pain that he blacked out. It didn't help that they were playing with his body like a violin and injecting whatever chemicals they wanted to in him. Sometimes he would get five hours to heal and rest. During those times he realized his healing factor had increased dramatically. Whenever he tried to sleep he was haunted by nightmares of experiment after experiment, torture after torture.

Still throughout this time he thought of Natasha, Clint, Dr. Banner, Tony, Thor, Matt, Deadpool and his determination to get through this sky rocketed. He had realized early on that they weren't aware of his sixth sense for danger. He reasoned that the longer they needed to map out his capabilities, the more time he had to think of an escape plan, so he reigned in his abilities and ignored his spider sense more often then he listened to it, only using enough to turn fatal blows into less fatal injuries. He relied on advice from his friends to keep him sane, as he studied his surroundings, taking in information critical to his location and the security.

By the end of the two weeks, he had discovered wherever he was was in a cave with caverns deep inside the mountain. He also discovered that there was a portal ('could he call it a portal?') that was connected to his world. It was part of a Hydra experiment that turned out to be a success. Wherever it ended up in his world, he knew that Hydra was using it and that could not be a good thing. And by overhearing a couple of lab coats discussing his... progress he soon found out that it would not be long until the mind whipping would begin. The thought of becoming another Winter Soldier, forced to kill, hurt and destroy his loved ones was too painful that he became convinced that he had to leave that very night.

When he'd arrived his suit and web shooters had been taken and locked in a room, he'd stumbled upon during his stay. Once without supervision by some idiot's part (lucky for him), he'd managed to grab his things and replace them with a bag of sweats he'd found. Luckily, with his web shooters, he'd found his communicator and a few little flash bombs Tony had made for him, citing the need for distractions when out fighting crime. 'This is where I exit the stage,' he thought to himself, determined. Quietly and extremely cautiously, he used a pin Natasha had given him for locks (she'd shown him all the tricks herself), he begun to work his way out of his restraints.

He quickly changed into his uniform and proceeded to scoff at the idiocy of his captures. He had heard whispers, rumors about the heroes of his world and well Cadmus had shared their information as part of their project. The tales of their power had intrigued him and fueled his desire to get the fuck out of dodge. Okay, so he couldn't quite exit stage left just yet. He needed to show the heroes where their enemies were. 'Lead the horse to water and make it drink,' he thought. There was no way that he would slip out of this nightmare without giving a bit of what he'd got. Dressing was alright. He hadn't disturbed his injuries too much. Getting to the vents and crawling through them, however, was going to be a lot more pain than it was worth.

'I swear the next time Clint goes vent exploring, I'm going with him because this is fucking screwed to be doing this without him,' Peter mentally added that note to his 'to-do-list'. 'IF I ever get home.' He shook his head as he paused in his crawl. He mentally reprimanded himself, he was going to get back home, no matter what. 'Just keep going Spidey. Just gotta send out the info on this Cadmus shit to the 'Justice League' and get the fuck out.'

A cold breeze whipped over his spandex covered body and made him shiver. 'Once I am out of here, I am so going someplace tropical.'

And maybe never going into a cave again.

As his spider sense warned him of people passing beneath him, he stilled and held his breath.

“So, the project is just about ready to reach the active stage?”

“Finally Weapon Spider will proceed beyond experiments and reach a new level. This time the Justice League won't be able to make it out in one piece.”

Peter barely suppressed a shudder. 'Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. Move it Spidey, just a little bit more and then I'll be at the computer center and I can finally get out of this place without becoming a Twilight character, falling apart at the seams.' As the voices faded out, he made his way over to the computer room. Several technicians sat at the computers, collecting information and reviewing security.

'What are these guys, morons? Everyone knows that you don't keep security and your sciency stuff together.' He silently admonished them, but he allowed himself to smile. The stupider, the better. It was obvious that whoever was running this place was not top of the line. Careful of making any sounds, he lifted the grate of the vent and poked his head out slowly to see the room. Upside down was perfectly fine for him. He wasn't called _The Amazing Spider-Man_ for nothing.

He took a flash bomb from his bag and felt his body tense in preparation. 'This is it, Spidey. No turning back. Either you kick ass or you get kicked...everywhere.' Gathering one last breath, he tossed the flash bomb at the rooms occupants and closed his eyes, as light streamed everywhere. 'Fifteen second burst,' he remembered Tony telling him. 'You get fifteen seconds and then the light fades. In those fifteen seconds, you have to use your senses to kick ass.'

He dropped down into the room, landing quietly, his eyes still closed as he listened to others in the room. He ran towards the shocked voices and kicked and hit everyone in the room until he was sure no one else would be able to get to him. The light begun to fade and he opened his eyes slightly. Once the light had completely faded, he grinned at his own handiwork. 'Matt would be so proud,' he chuckled to himself, as he noticed various persons laying around him with bruises, unconscious. Oh yeah. He was awesome.

Shouts of outrage came from beyond the corridor. Fuck. Someone had noticed. He cringed. Too late to stop now, he ran over to the controls and maybe he wasn't too screwed as he found the security system and closed the door to the control room. Genius. And~ Not so much. The alarm went off. 'Well. Parker luck at its best.' He gritted his teeth and searched the computer for all information with his name on it. He copied his information onto a USB for himself and then deleted the main stuff with his name on it. Weapon Spider of Project Rebirth Spider.... was a terrible plot and he knew that the hero team here would need to know what Cadmus was up to.

He just left his information blank. Nothing was going to incriminate him or lead anyone to his situation in this world. Nope. Everything else regarding Weapon Spider and Cadmus he put into a compressed file and quickly went to work on hacking into the Watchtower. 'It's in fucking space, of course it's in space. Why the fuck wouldn't it be in space. Fury would so be jealy if he was here.' Hacking into the Watchtower's system wasn't easy, but taking ten heart attack, panic inducing minutes he finally broke through the security and sent the Cadmus file along with his own little note:  _These dudes need some serious slaps on the hands. Sincerely, Your Friend the Spider_

He'd been so tempted to sign his usual but there was no Spider-Man in this world. He was the only one who knew he was a hero. He had no friends. No family. No team. He was on his own here. Still he needed a name. Best to just stick with Spider in case. Well, in case of what he was having a difficult time processing. Anyways. Flickers in the screen soon showed him that the hack was being backtraced and with any luck (please let there be good luck) the Justice League would be swooping in anytime to put these goons away.

Anytime..............

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is all I've got for now.  
> No JL yet, but in the future.  
> Not sure when the next chapter will be up yet. Feel free to comment as always.


	3. Just a Quick Stop Before I Leave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even despite his desire for freedom, there's the homesick feeling that he can't shake. He knows he needs to focus on escaping, but if he can't make it through the portal, he's at least going to make sure they know he's alive.

'Oh fuck.' The door gave way under blasts. Energy blasts. From weapons. It was official. Parker luck sucked. His hands darted out, deleting information from Cadmus' computers and sending viruses to all Cadmus affiliated computers. 'Okay, I can track these fuckers later. Just... gotta stay alive!' Ducking and dodging blasts, he praised his spidey sense for keeping him from getting riddled with holes. His patience on waiting for a rescue was getting thin. 

He was more than grateful that whoever took his belongings overlooked the comm with a mini Jarvis inside. He was always happy for the stupidity of his enemies. Twisting his body in midair and landing kicks on the onslaught of agents, he flipped on the comm. “Earth to Jarvis, you there pal?” Peter was more than pleased to hear the British voice of Tony's AI fill his ears. “Of course, sir.” Flicking his wrists, he quickly webbed the rest of the baddies he hadn't kicked into oblivion. He had slipped a compressed copy of all of the information onto a private hidden server and marked it with a code for Jarvis to find. “Do you have the Cadmus files?” He asked the AI as he quickly changed into the black uniforms of Cadus. It was drab, but still better than the hideous yellow of AIM.

“Indeed. Might I inquire as to the reason for this?” The AI asked as Peter moved in his new outfit, bag slung over his shoulder and black sunglasses on his face. He headed towards the core with the dimensional portal. “Need a copy to study and see what Hydra is doing with these government rejects.” Plus if he couldn't get home, then he at least had to get the information back tom them. He slunk into the shadows as more agents pounded passed him, heading towards the security center. He scoffed at the idiocy. Like he'd still be there. He wasn't Beethoven.

He heard passing agents yelling at each other about the portal needing to be closed. The part that caught his attention was that it would be beyond human travel in five minutes and fully closed in twenty. It was an odd rate of closure. He wasn't going to make it through. It was looking like it was just going to be a oneway trip until he could find another portal back. Still... He had to get the information about Hydra, AIM, and Cadmus having a cross-dimensional support group. With a sudden burst of inspiration, he started forming a plan. “J, can you make an internal copy of yourself?” He asked as he spotted a computer station. “Of course, sir.”

He quickly drifted over to the computer station and grabbed a spare Cadmus comm and attached it to the computer. His fingers tapped over the keys, reprogramming it for his own purposes. “I'm opening a link for the copy of your system onto the comm system. Is there room for a quick video?” He asked Jarvis as the copy of Jarvis transferred itself onto Cadmus' comm. “I believe so, sir. What do you have in mind?”

“The Avengers are going to need this information. And..” He hesitated, suddenly feeling small. “I want to let them know I'm going to do my best to get home.” Jarvis didn't say anything as Peter pulled up the webcam and began the recording.

– “Hey, guys..” He stumbled over his words a little, clearing his throat and taking off the sunglasses. Suddenly he was aware of the bruises on his face. He forced his tone to remain light. “Miss me? So... this is not a new fashion statement, just so you know.” He gestured at the black uniform. “Hydra and AIM seem to have gotten together with another group of underground crazies, except this time it's a group in another dimension.” He wildly gestured, throwing a dramatic 'surprise' type feel to it. “Surprise! I'm in another dimension! There's a portal here that connects to our world, but I don't think I'm going to be able to make it back.” He tried not to let his tone fall sober, but he wasn't sure if it was successful. “I'm a bit too slow to make it before it closes. I kinda got the tar beat out of me for the last month. Yeah, it's been a month for me. I know it's not the same time. What's it been? Like a week?” He tries to think back for a second and gives up, there's not enough time. “Anyways... It seems they were planning another Winter Soldier except this time it was going to be 'Winter Spider'. Sorry Uncle Bucky...” His face falls and his eyes water up a little bit. “There's a group of heroes here that I sent the information to, hopefully they can help get me out.”

 

“ _ **Warning: Self Destruct in fifteen minutes.”**_

Peter swears vibrantly. To Hell with the recording. “That's my cue to go. This is not the kind of place for a kick butt spider like me.” His voice breaks with the ending. “I miss you guys and I want to go home.... Love you.” He ends the recording and sends the information to the Cadmus comm. “Might I suggest running?” Peter laughs a bit. “Right you are Jarvis.” He grabs the comm and runs to the room with the portal in it, slipping passed the scientists and agents running to clear the room. Obviously they were too busy (scared) to guard the portal.

The portal is noticeably big and oddly as bright as a star in the night sky. Peter would love to take a look at the specs, but that would have to wait until later. Unless he could find another portal Cadmus had open to his world, he can tell that building a new one will be a pain. He switches on the Cadmus comm with the copied Jarvis and files. “Ready to go?” The copy responds “Of course, sir.”

“Now Jarvis, once you clear the portal tap into the wifi and send everything back to Tony, okay?” He wants to make sure that everything will be alright. He wants them to know that he's still alive. He really misses them. “Yes, sir.” He looks a the Cadmus comm for a second and he can feel tears falling down his cheeks as he remotely notes that the portal is shrinking and from behind him he can hear fighting. 'Justice League must've finally made it to the party,' he vaguely notes. “Good luck J,” he yells as he flings the Cadmus comm into the portal, praying that somehow everything will end up okay, wishing that he was the one going through the portal.

He hears the whipping of the wind approach him, but he just sits down heavily on the ground, watching as the portal closes. “Fucking Parker luck,” he mutters to himself, feeling a bit depressed. “Hey Kid.” He jumps, startled and restrains himself from taking safety on the ceiling. Peter swivels his head to look at a man dressed with red with a yellow lightning bolt on his chest – Flash. “Not a kid,” he retorts. Flash cocks his head to the side, thinking and curious. “You're not with Cadmus are you?” Peter laughs to himself, because it is funny. He looks like shit and admittedly he is young. He doesn't think he's as stupid as they are though. “Dude, this is not a fashion choice. If I hadn't been making a jailbreak, I would not be wearing this disaster.” Peter motions to his clothes, making the Flash laugh.

“Jailbreak, huh? Guess we should really ditch this joint.” Flash jokes and suddenly Peter feels a bit better about him. Flash might just be an okay guy. If you can quip and joke on the fly, you were okay in Peter's book. “Sounds like a plan, Flash-man.” Peter starts running towards the door with Flash, keeping pace. “Guess you don't know where the exit in this hotel is, do you?” Flash disappears in the wind. “Flash-man?” Peter stops and looks around for him. Flash suddenly reappears at the end of the hall at a door to the right. “This way!” Peter runs, feeling the aches and tight muscles. Around the corner, behind Flash, an agent levels his gun towards Flash. Peter's spider senses go crazy as he covers Flash with his own body. “Shit!” He feels a beam of energy rip through his shoulder.

“Crap!” Flash pulls Peter up with him, in more of a bridal style. If Peter were less in pain, he would have told him that they 'were not together and this was totally inappropriate'. He decides he is in too much pain to care and just lets Flash carry him. _**“Self Destruction in one minute.”**_ “I gotcha, lil dude. Just hang on.” The whole part about being called 'lil dude' is just way too offensive for Peter to take. Pain or not, he is not going to let himself be called 'lil dude'. He fought Doctor Doom once for Christ's sake. He'd opened his mouth to tell Flash that, but the sudden drop in his stomach as Flash ran them out of the place with super-speed made him way too dizzy to say anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo.... Honestly I'm a little stuck on one of my other fan fics (Comfort Me, if you know of it) and I thought I'd have an update for that one yesterday, but no... Stuck.
> 
> This fan fic, however, is grabbing my attention. Thus the newest chapter.  
> I haven't gotten around to it, but I will definitely add a scene where they receive the message (yay drama and worry!).


	4. Avengers in Their Own Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally making it outside the compound, he is confronted with a group of heroes, he recognizes from tales and Cadmus files - the Justice League.

When he feels Flash jolt to a stop, he pushes himself out of Flash's arms and lets himself drop to the ground. He's dizzy but not too dizzy to notice green light covering the entire mountain complex that he'd just escaped. 'Concentrated energy,' he notes as his head slows in its spinning. He tries to get into the scientific specifics of using concentrated energy and manipulating it, but he gives up when he realizes that he likes the ground so much more than he ever has. He would _not_ travel by Flash again if he had any say in it. As soon as he's free, he's going to kiss his webslingers and enjoy how he normally travels.

“Hey, hey Kid. You're bleeding.” He wants to roll his eyes, because he knows he's bleeding. It's his blood. But he can hear that Flash is worried about him, so he doesn't. “'m okay,” he tells the Flash. “Still alive.” He pulls himself up to stand and stretches, not much, just enough to feel like he's in control again. “Never staying at that hotel again.” Peter eyes the destruction, realizing that he'd missed the big boom. Usually things go boom when they explode. Fun sucking energy construct. “Gotta say it look a lot nicer as a pile of rubble.” He hears laughter from behind him and he whips around so fast, he stumbles.

A pair of black gloved hands catch him and he sees the outline of green around the new arrival. 'Ah,' he thinks with recognition. 'Green Lantern.' “Easy there, kid.” Green Lantern says to him. Peter raises an eyebrow, annoyed with being called a kid again. “Almost 18, not a kid.” He retorts, as if that proves his point. Green Lantern backs off with his hands raised in surrender. “Oka~y. Not a kid.” His spider senses warn him enough so he sees new arrivals he identifies as: Batman, Hawkgirl, Martian Manhunter, Superman, Green Arrow, Nightwing, and Wonder Woman. He wonders if this is one of those times he should curse his Parker luck or thank it. Suddenly he's surrounded by heroes he doesn't know or trust.

'Out of the frying pan and into the fire,' he says to himself, unhappily. He waits for the questioning to begin. The 'why where you there' and 'who are you' and 'what happened.' He really doesn't want to answer any of those questions without knowing if he can trust them. So when he gets asked, by Batman, of course, he answers so. “Look, trust is a two way street. I highly doubt you trust me, so I don't know if I can trust you.” His answer is so blunt, it shocks them (although not so visually, Batman too). 

Peter can just see the anger rising in Batman's body. 'He obviously likes having his way,' Peter thinks. 'Reminds me of Director Fury a bit,' he shudders visibly at that thought. It's a scary thought after all. Batman opens his mouth, most likely to yell at him and demand answers. Either that or tell everyone to take him into custody when the Flash interferes. “Calm down Bats. He's right, you know.” Flash's interference surprises the rest of the League. Nightwing looks a bit ruffled, but he seems to be more on Flash's side, because he steps over and falls in beside Peter.

Peter listens to Flash ramble about how he's just a kid (Peter wants to protest but doesn't because he feels like they've gone beyond listening to him), he's been held by Cadmus and experimented on, he's hurt, and he's obviously not ready to trust anyone after what he's been through. As he listens to all that, he eyes Nightwing. He's got a good build, strong. He hadn't gotten much out of the “lessons” Cadmus gave about Nightwing, except that he's close to Batman, has the same shtick, watches over Bludhaven, and has an acrobatic thing going on. Peter can believe the acrobatic style, because he knows the posture is more like something he himself would take.

He almost wishes he could take time to fight Nightwing. He'd heard rumors that Batman and Nightwing were humans, but most people dismissed it. Peter, however, can totally believe that after being introduced to Natasha and Clint. Normal humans with their skill set are totally badass. Peter gives Nightwing another one over before he notices that Nightwing has been doing the same to him. Peter blushes a little, embarrassed at being caught in the act. Usually he has a mask to hide behind, but that's all in his bag.

Nightwing being Nightwing had most definitely been looking the kid over as Flash had gone on a rant with Batman. Kid wasn't all that scared looking, but he knows that trauma can be manifested in different ways. He is injured as Wally had said but looks surprisingly alert considering what he's been through. His body is thin and gangly. There might be some strength there, but he's not too sure what to make of him. His main question is: why him? Nightwing catches his eye as the kid looks him over and he can only smile as the kid's cheeks redden with embarrassment. 'Not a bad kid.'

“\-- He's no danger to anyone, Bats! He saved my life!” Flash's voice grabs the attention of both Nightwing and Peter back to the group. Nightwing cocks his head to the side and looks at Peter in question. Peter can only shrug in response. He can feel the eyes of all the other members appraising him. He really wishes they would go back to doing something else. Maybe they could just search the rubble or something. Actually, he wants to search the rubble. The portal has to be buried under there somewhere, broken or not.

Batman is just silently glaring at him. At least, it might be a glare. He's not so sure, but it kind of gives him the creeps. “Why don't we ask him what he wants to do?” Superman intercedes. But seriously, he's right there. He can hear all of this. “Hey, kid!” And seriously. Not a kid. He's kicked Doctor Doom's ass once for gosh sakes. Still, Peter remains polite, if not distant and looks at Green Arrow. “What do you want to do? You're hurt, we could take care of you back at the Watchtower.” Green arrow says. “Batman wants to question you and all that, but we could wait until you're ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I have no idea if that was a good place to end the chapter, but~ the next scene deserves its own chapter, so yeah. I think it's longer than the last chapter? I'm not sure. Maybe when it's done I'll just go back and post it all as one chapter (or not).
> 
> This is my third update to various works in the last 24 hours. I wanted to do one update on one random work a day (which I will still aspire to do), but I guess this is just special for readers (or an anomaly). Anyways, just hope you enjoy and feel free to comment.
> 
> Next chapter title: Mental Guest


	5. Mental Guest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter makes a new friend inside his head and no - he's not crazy. It's literal (the friend, not the craziness).

Peter does want to see the Watchtower. He really wants to be able to tell his Avenger family that he's visited a superhero space station in another dimension in space. But he's not liking the questioning part. That, and he really doesn't want to be tied down anywhere. Cadmus is unfortunately still fresh in his mind. 

A soft tap at his mental barrier grabs his attention. He whips his eyes about, wildly searching the faces for the Manhunter. Peter's eyes meet that of the Martian and he weighs his options. Does he let him in or keep him out? With the barrier Loki placed and the training he'd gotten from the Professor, he could keep anyone out. At least, he thinks so. He's not quite willing to give that bit away yet. But, he can feel the nonthreatening nature of the Martian's subtle tap, so... he lets him into the Open Space.

Peter allows his focus to turn to his unconscious surroundings. The Open Space is an area that Peter created to converse with those with telepathy without allowing them into his mind. The rules are that anyone in that area tells the truth. No lies are allowed. Peter supposes it makes up for the lack of openness a mind usually has. He wouldn't allow anyone to see his memories or take control of him, but he knows that sometimes telepathy is needed.

It's there where he finds the Martian in astral form, surrounded by the mental locks that appear as chains over doors. “You... are used to mind readers.” The Martian says slowly, in a bit of awe and caution. “Yes.” He gestures to two chairs and a table that appear, for them to sit down. “This is my Open Space. No lies can be spoken here.” The Martian takes a seat, nodding slowly again. “Batman wants to know if I'm a danger to you, doesn't he?” Peter asked and was glad to see he was right by the Martian's inclined head.

“I understand.” Peter began, “but I don't trust the League enough to share everything.” His companion was silent as Peter continued. “I can tell you, though, that I'm not a threat to the League. I don't want to be put on lockdown on the Watchtower.” The Martian nodded in understanding. “What will you do?” It was a good question, Peter could admit it. “I'm not exactly sure. Find a hotel perhaps? Food, definitely. I have to find a way to get home. This isn't my dimension after all.”

“So, Cadmus took you from your world?” Peter nodded. “They had help from an evil organization from my world though. There was a portal in the Cadmus base that connected to my world.” Peter felt a deep regret. “I couldn't make it through in time, but I sent a message back. They'll try to find a way to open the portal from their end.” Peter sighed. “For now, I'm alone.”

The admission of being alone in a place that wasn't home made the Martian's heart clench in sympathy. This young one was far away from home in a world without family or friends. He was hurt and had been traumatized if Cadmus had anything to do with it. He understood why he didn't want to get too involved with the League just yet. He wasn't ready to trust people he didn't know with all of him.

“They might look for you.” The Martian couldn't help but bring up. He was worried about the boy. Peter nodded. “They probably will. They wanted to groom me to take you guys out, no offense.” It was that last statement that puzzled the Martian. “Could you have?” Peter simply shrugged. “I don't know. It's possible, I suppose.” It was hard to believe that such a young boy could possess enough power to destroy the League. It was also worrisome that it could be possible.

“You're not alone.” Peter looked at the Martian strangely. It was the truth, but what did it mean? Obviously he was mentally and physically with someone or someones. “I can be your friend.” That's what he meant. Peter blinked. “I, too, have felt what it is like to be alone, stranded away from home. I have found that it is best alleviated by making 'friends'.” Peter smiled a little. “You really mean that,” it eases some of the sadness and wariness in him.

“I don't want to go to the Watchtower yet. I can take care of myself.” Peter can just feel the raised eyebrow of the Martian about his situation. “Okay,” Peter admits, “most times, I can take care of myself. I have a plan to keep Cadmus off my back anyways.” His companion looks curious but doesn't pry and Peter isn't going to go into depth with it. “I'm not ready to be trolled by your clubhouse friends.” It's not an insult, just how he deals, and the Martian can tell.

“Do you… Are you going to tell them?” Peter asks cautiously. It's silent for a little bit, perhaps the Martian needs it to collect his thoughts. “I will keep your secrets.” Peter sighs in relief. “But I do believe that you will come to see that we are trustworthy. The Justice League can help.” He nods, maybe that is so, but it won't be now and they both know it. “Well, I guess we're done.” Peter hops up, stretching his astral form. The Martian nods. “Oh, yeah,” Peter snaps his fingers. “My name is Peter.” Maybe it's the action of his scatterbrained forgetfulness, but the Martian smiles. “You can call me J'onn.”

Peter smiles, and it's returned by J'onn. J'onn turns to leave and stops for a moment. “By the way,” he says, “you have excellent mental defenses.” It's that compliment that changes his smile into a proud smirk, remembering his friends. He thinks the Professor and Loki would be proud of him. “Thank you.” The world fades around them and they're back in reality, without much passage of time. The League is still studying him and Flash looks bored.

“He poses no threat to any of us.” J'onn tells Batman, bluntly. “I think we have no need to bring him up to the Watchtower.” Batman's eyes narrow behind his cowl and Peter can just see the judging going on. He's not lying. Maybe Batman just doesn't believe anyone. “He has his secrets, as do well all. I believe that it would be best to let him decide what he wishes to share. But he doesn't possess any danger to us.” Now. Peter knows that J'onn is remembering how Cadmus wanted to use him as a weapon to destroy the League, but he must've decided that Peter wasn't that kind of person.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No idea how this chapter turned out. I have the next bit started. Blargh... Swear I'm just going to make this whole work one long chapter one day so it doesn't leave off awkwardly....
> 
> Anyways~ Next up: Peter interacts with the League some more and he gets invited to stay with one of the members.


	6. Introductions (Kind of)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that they know he's not a threat, or at least most of them know it, they get around to some introductions (at least... some of them). Peter's still suspicious and it's not like superheroes go around telling everyone their secret identity (that's just Flash).

“Cool,” Flash says, appearing at Peter's side, which kind of annoys him. He isn't used to people popping up everywhere. At least not those in red and yellow. Nightcrawler used to freak him out the first few times he poofed to him, but whatever. “So, wanna come to my house?” It's such a sudden, out of nowhere invite that even his friends raise their eyebrows. “Umm… what?” Peter is not used to people with masks, or cowls in this case, wanting to take him home with them, which kinda beats the point of a secret identity.

“Flash,” Batman sounds like his teeth are grinding in annoyance. “He can't go to your house. We don't know anything about him.” At least Batman has some sense of secrecy, but then again Peter reckons Batman's secrets had secrets. Flash pouts, which shouldn't look cute, but it kind of does. He's like an overactive puppy. By the snort of amusement Nightwing tries to hide, Peter can tell he thinks the same thing. “Actually,” he intervenes before anyone else can speak, “I can take care of myself.”

There's an overwhelming feeling of annoyance when he sees the questioning gazes from everyone except J'onn, Flash, Nightwing, and Batman (for whatever reason). He can take care of himself. Most of the time. “Fine,” Peter waves a hand at the rubble. “Not the best example. But I have my own resources.” He knows that that will just bring about another wave of suspicion and he can see that it does. Batman is one step away from grabbing him and forcing him to do what he wants if the twitching of his hands are any hint.

“Look, it's not that any of you are the Big Bad Wolf, because I am certainly not Little Red Ridding Hood” – God, he's never telling Clint any of this. Clint would call him Little Red forever if he heard the idea. Never. Ever. – “but I can't trust you right now.” He can't. He wants to. He wishes he could. It's just that Peter's been held hostage and treated like a lab rat for the past month and he'll be damned if he lets anyone into his personal space until he knows them. “I've been through a lot of shit and I'm sure you understand why I need space.” According to the files he read on them, he knows they've been through some pretty bad fights. Tony's still got PTSD from the Invasion. Everyone who's fought has issues. He's sure the Justice League has them too. They can't fault him. Unless they're hypocrites. 

“What if Cadmus starts looking for you?” Nightwing asks, silently worried and curious about the young boy. Peter shrugs. “I have a few ideas about remaining anonymous.” Batman's curious. Nightwing's curious. Everyone is curious. “I won't cut you off,” Peter states. “If you want to keep in touch, I'm fine with it. I just need some space and time to recover and get my barings.” Green Arrow and Green Lantern nod at this. They understand. It's what they would do. It's not them, but he seems to have smarts.

“Where will you go?” Flash asks, looking down on Peter. Damn, height issues. It's a valid question though and honestly, Peter isn't sure where he'll go. He just shrugs, trying not to look like a helpless victim with nothing left. He's got a home and a family and friends. Just not in this world. “You can stay with me,” J'onn offers, his voice soft and gentle. Peter looks at him, eyes meeting as he silently debates on the offer. “Okay,” he responds, because technically it's a good idea. J'onn knows more about him than anyone else does (at least the good guys) and he does need somewhere to operate from as he tries to track down the rest of Cadmus.

It's an unusual offer for J'onn to make. Normally, he spends his time on the Watchtower, overseeing the activities of the League. He does have a place he lives at on Earth and an alter-ego. Batman, however, is thinking that it's a damn good idea. He's just got to bug J'onn's place and let J'onn's mind reading skills do the trick to get all the details from their young 'friend'. It's laughable, but he doesn't know Peter's skills.

Silently, he sends a mental question, asking if he can have time to sift through the rubble. J'onn nods and that's all Peter needs to turn right around and jump onto the rocks. Mentally, he's assessing the damage, figuring out weak spots. He can feel the eyes of the Justice League members behind him. “What's he doing?” It's a question Green Lantern asks that makes him roll his eyes and call back to them, his enhanced senses keeping him appraised of their conversations. “Looking for the entrance!”

Nightwing quirks his eyebrow up and exchanges glances with the other members. They are cautious, not overly willing to help. He shrugs and brings up a map of the compound with his tech. “Hmm.. the entrance should be three meters to your left and five meters above that.” The grin he gets from Peter is enough to make him grin. Peter climbs over to that space. “Might want to get out of the way,” he yells down to them as he shifts a boulder, carefully, out of the way that falls to the ground.

As the League scrambles away, he edges another boulder out of the way. He's careful not to show too much strength. He shows a little, but he keeps the main portion hidden. Peter's learned that it can be fun when his opponents underestimate him. Fun and advantageous. His actions reveal a small hole, a shadow of what the large entrance had once been. He can see the steel beams and the spark of electricity from the automatic locks. He groans, cursing it all. It's unlikely to be structurely sound when he prods and pokes it. He's not ready to get trapped inside that place again, as an experiment or as Spider-Man.

“Perhaps, you might rest and gather your strength before you try to unearth the remains?” J'onn startles Peter into slipping from the rubble and he falls. J'onn doesn't make a move for him like the others and honestly, he can't help but grin as he catches onto an outcrop and swings his body to land gracefully on the ground. A soft snicker escapes his mouth as he sees the others stunned, studying him. Flash whistles, impressed. “Sweet!” Peter looks at him, amused. “Sweet? I could give you cavities!” Flash bursts out laughing. “I like you!” Peter wiggles his fingers at Flash, playfully.

Glancing at J'onn for a second, he turns to Flash and thrusts out his hand. “Pietr. Pietr Romanov.” It's a fake name, but in a way it's real. He hopes Natasha will forgive him for this, but he thinks she'd be proud. If the foreign name surprises Flash, he doesn't show it and grasps Peter's hand in a handshake. “Flash, fastest man alive.” He leans in real close, still holding Peter's hand and whispers, “But you can call me Wally.” The display of faith stuns Peter and he sees J'onn nod reassuringly as Flash lets go and backs away. Flash was definitely an odd one to be giving away his real name. For his part, Peter just smiles and nods.

It surprises him when Nightwing comes up and holds out his hand. “Nightwing.” Peter smiles and shakes his hand. He hadn't really expected Nightwing to actually introduce himself, but at least he hadn't told Peter his real name. It was this display in which he could see the friendship between Nightwing and Flash. While he hadn't revealed his true name, he had been the second to introduce himself, following Flash's lead. It amused Peter and he wanted to ask more, but he just let it slide.

Before too long, he was shaking hands with the others, minus Batman, who just kept studying him. He knew everyone by their hero name. Cadmus had made sure he could recognize them and their powers. He had even been made aware of the Braniac incident that had taken place. Peter just wasn't into telling them all that. They hadn't been compromised, at least not too seriously. There were lists of who they could be as civilians, but Peter had taken care of that before he'd escaped the compound. Still… He had memorized the names. It never hurt to be too cautious. Fortunately  
Batman and Nightwing had several possible identities.  
The sunlight brightens as the horror of the night's escape fades. Peter is exhausted and he can tell that members of the Justice League are getting tired as well. He sighs and looks at J'onn, nodding in surrender. He needs rest and he allows J'onn to lead him to an area away from the others. He's obviously been telling them that they are leaving because Flash called a goodbye, saying that he'd come see Peter the next day. Flash was certainly a weird one.

Briefly he recognized J'onn speaking to Mr. Terrific and telling him to teleport two to his apartment. Teleporting was one of the most unusual feelings. Nightcrawler had had to teleport Peter out of a situation once or twice and the strange feeling of just poofing was the same with this technology, but the lack of brimstone made his heart clench in sadness. What he wouldn't give to be with Nightcrawler at least. He wishes he was back with his family.

Arriving in J'onn's apartment set a few things in motion. J'onn called for take-out breakfast and set up his bed for Peter to sleep. He also showed Peter the bathroom so he could shower and gave Peter some clothes that would be a bit too big for him, but he didn't mind. Peter was careful about his bags – it was just instinct. He knew that J'onn wouldn't hurt him or betray him. He might have still felt a little uneasy, but the words spoken mentally in that part of his mind in which they could only speak the truth confirmed the good intentions.

It turns out a shower was just what he needed to relax. The hot water on his skin had never felt so good. He'd only been allowed to take cold showers at the Cadmus compound. He was even happy that the Martian had shampoo and body wash. He knew that often J'onn stayed up in the Watchtower and wasn't at home much. After dressing in the sweats J'onn gave him, he wandered the apartment a little, looking for exits – a habit of being Spider-Man. He even took the time to ensure that Jarvis would filter the bugs he had a feeling Batman placed.

J'onn allowed him his freedom and didn't restrict his curiosities. Perhaps it was the alien mindset, but he treated Peter as if Peter lived there with him. It was a kind gesture that set Peter at ease with the alien. He treated him with care but seemed to know better than to treat him as a child, for which Peter was extremely grateful for. He could only imagine how the rest of the League saw him – weak, lost, alone, a child who should be pitied and protected. At least someone knew that Peter could hold his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For JtP. Have I met your demands? Haha, I'm glad it's being liked so well. Hope you enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Remember to comment if you can and tell me your opinions. It's not always easy to combine Marvel-DC in crossover fanfics because there is just SO much. But I'm going to do the best I can and hopefully we can all enjoy it.


	7. Settling In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter decides to make himself at home, or as at home as he feels necessary. There's no telling how long it will take to fix or find another portal, but that doesn't mean he's going to be idle in the meantime. If there was one thing he'd learned from being around the Avengers, it's that inaction solves nothing.

It wasn't until day 2, after he had gone to check out the rubble once more, that he first sensed a presence following him. With him being Spider-Man and all, he had felt a surge of panic before he remembered where he was. Whoever was following him wasn't out to get him as his spider sense told him, so he let it be. He'd take a few turns as he wandered the city and caught a glimpse of his stalker. It turned out to be Green Arrow. Peter had thought for sure it would be Batman or one of his proteges, but this was probably his idea anyways.

Peter had kept his bag with his things with him on his person at all times. If there's one thing that learning from Natasha taught him, it was to always be prepared. Bad things happen. With his stalker, he couldn't very well come out and web swing through the city. That would definitely draw way too much attention from the League and from Cadmus. He could, however, use his communicator and talk to Jarvis.

Jarvis, as it turns out, was his best ally in all of this. It was Jarvis who secured his connection on the library computer and helped him to create an alias for 'Piotr Romanav'. He also set up a bank account with money in it for Piotr to use. It wasn't stealing, not really. Okay, so it kind of was, but can it really be stealing if you take it from an evil organization's shell company? Peter was fine with it.

Research was another aspect that Jarvis helped out with. Peter and Jarvis had marked Cadmus' system and used that opportunity to go through everything that Cadmus was doing. Cadmus was up to 'some shady shit' as Tony would say. Cloning, gene manipulation, human experimentation, government infiltration… It was dark. Peter would probably have to answer more questions later, but he funneled the information to Batman's system (if Batman didn't kill him for it later), citing that 'no matter where he was, it was his responsibility to take criminals down'.

He continued his venture for three days and familiarized himself with the dimension. It had fascinated him to learn about the alien invasions and the fact that aliens were superheroes. It wasn't too shocking, but the most alien visitors they'd had in his world were not pleasant. The day of the Invasion of New York had definitely left him with nightmares about their very rude visitors.

By the fifth day, he had a place set up for himself. Actually two. He had one in Central City, that he let his stalker and the League know, and one in Star City, that he managed to keep from the League's attention with Jarvis' help. Peter did tell J'onn about the one in Star City, though. J'onn had let him stay with him and fed him and told him whatever he wanted to know about public League activities. J'onn would keep it from the League, he'd said. It was nice to have someone trust him like that.

Feeling indebted to him, Peter even told J'onn about his plan to chase down Cadmus and see if they had another portal he could use to cross over to his dimension. If not, there would be some serious spending to build a new one. The hunting down Cadmus bit was something that Peter would allow the League to know. They would understand, maybe even expect, him to go after the group who'd had him. Sure, they would probably wonder what a young teen as Peter could do, but hero or not everyone takes a stand.

Thus by the end of the fifth day, he was on a train heading for Central City. Today's stalker was Nightwing, who seemed cool enough, so he was okay with that. Peter had amassed some clothing and necessities since staying with J'onn, but he'd have to get more for his little apartment in Central. It hadn't been a terribly long ride, but he had grown tired of sitting, which gave him the perfect motivation to go shopping for supplies for his apartment. Toilet paper was a definite must have.

Shopping had been tiring. Setting up his apartment, even more so. He'd forgone a TV and just gotten himself a laptop and a tablet (with some equipment to modify them). He also had bought some basic kitchen supplies. Peter hadn't gone shopping for any food and that was fine with him. He was too tired to cook anyways. That's why there was pizza.

He made sure to get two pizzas. One for him and one for his stalker, whom he'd left a message for where he was sure Nightwing would see, which he did. It was a little awkward and Nightwing had been extremely cautious to being invited to eat dinner. Luckily, Peter seemed to have influenced Nightwing enough for him to be comfortable accepting the invitation. They sat on the apartment floor – Peter hadn't bought furniture after all – and ate, trading opinions on the news and politics.

Talking about Cadmus with Nightwing was a delicate subject. Neither was quite willing to open up on just how much they knew about Cadmus. Both were aware that the other seemed to know that fact. They danced about the subject, letting a few hints show through. Peter let him know that he was looking into Cadmus and its shell companies. Nightwing let Peter know that he'd been inside a Cadmus complex once in his Robin days.

When all was said and done, Nightwing returned to his stalking position and Peter “retired” to bed. By retired, it means he pretended to go to bed and secretly slipped out. It was surprisingly easy, considering he was up against Nightwing. Then again, Nightwing wasn't aware of Peter's abilities. That was what helped Peter slip out and into the night ultimately. It wasn't a smart plan, but Peter wanted to go check out rumors and a research compound he'd discovered on their servers when he was peeking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.. This is part of my "one a day update on AO3". I feel so guilty for allowing myself to get distracted and update this more frequently than my "Comfort Me" fan fic, but.. when your muse leads, you can only follow. (I hope my "Comfort Me" readers don't get upset, although the "Along Came A Goblin" readers are more terrifying because they're higher in numbers..)
> 
> And yeah, this is kind of a short chapter (I'm sorry), but I in the next chapter planned out (Sorry other fan fics I'm working on) so it'll be out tomorrow or so. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Next chapter - Spider-man tangles with Cadmus.


	8. A Trip to Cadmus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spider-Man infiltrates a Cadmus base with the hopes of getting more information about the portals. He hadn't been expected to be stalked by robots when he exited stage left.

It wasn't hard to find the compound. Sure, it had looked exactly like an abandoned warehouse, but come on. There were cameras. Seriously. It was not as abandoned as it looked from the outside. Silently, Peter cursed in Russian (a lesson he'd learned from Bucky). “Jarvis, can you get into the system?” Peter was sure he could, but it never hurt to ask. Jarvis was in the system before he knew it. Thank Tony for that.

“Can you create a blind spot on the south entrance for me?” Jarvis affirmed. The current feed would be looped to make it as if all was clear. It was something that Peter always loved. He was sure that Natasha loved it too. He had learned it from her after all.

There were guards, yes, but Peter was well versed in keeping to the shadows and with his ability to cling to any service, he was more than capable of slipping passed them. “Jarvis,” he murmured as he made his way through the compound on the ceiling of the halls. It was best to remain invisible unless he had no choice. If there's anything Tony taught him, it's that you don't win by facing all your enemies at once (because Tony had tried that once and failed. Sorry, Tony).

“Jarvis, tune the senors into your system so that they don't detect a breach if we get in the middle of one.” Jarvis said a quick 'yes, sir' and made them the invisible duo. Well the invisible solo act with the AI partner. There was nothing as pleasing as crawling over the heads of some of guards from the organization who had once held him hostage.

Finding the central information center was easy. There was, however, the issue of getting to the computers. Jarvis could infiltrate them, but Peter would need to sift through it and he didn't want to be surprised in case there was a virus he could accidentally download in the process. “Jarvis, set off a proximity alarm and loop that video of Deadpool's 'nice guy' act for the security room to see.”

“Very good, sir.” Peter was almost envious of them. He wanted to see that video again. It was of Deadpool yelling about how nice of a guy he was to share tacos and how great they were. He bit his trembling lip, forcing back the pang of homesickness that threatened to surface. If he was to get home, he needed to move forward. Always forward.

As security converged on the spot of the “intruder,” Peter fell onto the floor in front of the computer systems without making a sound. He was pleased with himself and hummed a little as his fingers tapped the keyboard. He flipped through several research reports about dimensional travel and even more about weapons that could have a detrimental effect to the Justice League. Peter frowned, not liking it one bit.

He continued on, finding bits about information from his world on him. “17 year old, possessing wondrous abilities that do not have a particular weakness; improved stamina, increased strength, sticks to walls, agility, speed – an altogether perfect specimen for the following experiments...” A small, choked sound fell from Peter's mouth. Just the idea of 'experiments' was enough to put him in a sour mood.

“Damn evil organizations…”

“Sir, the guards are coming back,” Jarvis informed him, jarring him from his not so nice thoughts about Cadmus. He made a face and quickly sent a copy of the files through the Watchtower's mainframe via a security hole he made specifically for him. Peter could hear footsteps approaching and he quickly copied and erased all the information from this compound's servers and crawled up onto the ceiling.

Once on the ceiling, he made his way towards the closest exit – window – and promptly jumped out, hitting the ground with a soft thud. 'Score on the getaway!'

“Hey, you! Stop!”

Okay, not so score. Peter swore as two guards advanced on him with their guns trained on him. Obviously he wasn't getting out of this quietly. His body moved before his mind as he dodged incoming bullets and his leg lashed out, foot catching one guy on the head and dropping him. He reached out and grabbed the other guy's gun and whacked him with it.

Alarms sounded from the complex. “Yipe! Time to hit the road!” He dashed over to the gates and swung over them. He turned back for a second, which he really shouldn't have, to see about thirty guards rushing towards him. It made him both curious and want to laugh. Peter quickly pulled himself into the air with his webs and swung his way into the city. 'Home free,' he thought.

Then there were laser blasts. He wanted to pout. How could he have this kind of luck? Seriously. After everything he's been through? He needs to write the author of this dimensional story and tell him or her that he wants a raise. He banks to the left in time to see flying robots taking shots at him. Peter would be surprised but this is just like Doctor Doom all over again.

Attaching a line to a flag pole, he swings himself back and onto the back of one of the robots. “Knock knock, anybody home?” He quips as he smashes his fist into the central processor and then jumps off its back and onto a building. Peter whistles as he watches it blow up in midair. “Fireworks are always nice, aren't they J?” Jarvis voice is even as he replies, “Whatever you say, sir.” Peter rolls his eyes. “Incoming.”

Spider-senses tingling as he flings his way back into the fray. 'One down and four to go.' Swinging on his webs only goes so far until one of the robots gets lucky and grabs him in the air. He grunts from the painful grasp. “Well, fuck,” Peter says tightly. “Language, as Mr. Rogers would say.” Peter rolls his eyes beneath his mask, pushing against the robotic claw. “Yeah, yeah.” Another firm push and he shoots up into the air, free from the robot.

He shoots out a web and flings himself at the robot that he'd escaped from and lands heavily on it, forcing it to fall. As soon as he knows it's falling he leaps onto a building and scans the area to make sure it's not about to hit anyone. Once he's satisfied, he swings into action again. 'Two down, three to go.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo... nearly missed today's "24" but here it is.  
> I was originally going to post a new chapter of "Comfort Me" or a new work in the Speedster series, but I do love this work.
> 
> Hope everyone's enjoying their weekend beginning.


	9. Someone Like You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's still flinging himself through the city, trying to get the last robots when someone decides to lend him a helping hand.

Peter's embarrassed to admit it, but he yelps as a laser comes a little too close to his head. His spider-senses are screaming at him and he's twisting in mid-air, spinning a web that catches another robot that can't avoid his web in time. He has half a mind to stick his tongue out at the robot but his attention is needed elsewhere.

'Two left,' he reminds himself. “YIPE!” Peter cries out when his web gets cut and he falls onto the roof of a building. He grimaces, wrist sprained and having amassed a variety of bruises. “Wish Hulk was here,” he mumbles to himself as he realizes his back is against a wall and the two robots have closed in on him. 'This can not be the end of my Spidey life,' he tells himself.

“Okay, you two, how about we make nice and go our separate ways?” Which obviously isn't working since they fire up their lasers and point them at Peter. He's debating whether to fling himself left or right when suddenly there's an arrow sticking out of on of the robots' lasers.

“Usually newcomers tend to wait until their second week to get their ass in hot water.” Peter's head jerks up to see an archer in red, notching another arrow and firing it at the other robot. “Might want to move,” the archer tells him and frankly with his spider-sense yelling at him, he knows that. He scrambles over to the ledge where the archer's standing and he pulls Peter with him over the edge in time to avoid the dual explosion.

Peter considers throwing out a web and grabbing the archer for a second as they fall. It seems the archer has other plans and grabs Peter instead after he shoots a line to another building. “So… am I the damsel in distress?” Peter quips when they land on another rooftop. “Because I totally look good enough for it.” The archer gives him a weird look but doesn't bother to answer back. It makes him a little sad, but not all archers can be like Hawkeye.

“So you want to tell me who was chasing you?” The archer has his eyes roaming the city, alert for any more trouble. “Hm? Oh, yeah. Cadmus,” Peter answers nonchalantly. The archer's eyes whip to meet his and he raises an eyebrow. “Cadmus? What'd they do this time?” Peter just shrugs and says, “They kidnapped and tortured slash experimented on a teenage boy.” He notes the way the archer grimaces. “Yeah, I know that feeling,” the archer inputs.

'Hnn.. Arsenal AKA Roy Harper,' Peter remarks to himself. He remembers reading a file on Roy while he was at Cadmus. Roy had had his own run in with Cadmus when they cloned him. The things they did. It made Peter shudder in horror. 'Cue crazy, evil organizations,' he thought, remembering AIM and Hydra.

He'd forgotten to pay attention because when he returned to reality, he noticed Arsenal speaking into his comm system. “Yeah, he had an encounter with Cadmus. Seems they're up to something – What? Yeah, have you ever heard of…” Arsenal looked at him for his answer. “Spider-Man,” Peter responded and watched as Arsenal echoed him into the comm. “No? Huh. Well… Alright.” The transmission cut and silence ensued.

“So, Spider-Man,” he rolled the name over his tongue like it tasted strange, “who are you?” Peter tilted his head, eyebrow raising behind his mask. Like he was going to answer that. Seems Arsenal got that message too. “Why hasn't anyone heard of you?” Peter's mouth twitched. So much for the newcomer bit, but he could try to play it. “Too new and low key to be noticed,” he tossed that out there.

He realized his plan was going to fly when Arsenal scoffed in disbelief. “Yeah, right. No one has that much experience from day one,” he remarked. Peter shrugged and smiled a bit. “I could be a genius?” Peter could feel the penetrating gaze Arsenal gave him in his bones. He shrugs again.

“Or we could just say that I am experienced but I'm not going to play truth or dare,” Peter suggests and the way Arsenal's eyes narrow at him does not scare him at all. Okay, it does. He's probably as good a shot or nearly so as Hawkeye and he knows that part is fucking terrifying. “Well, this has been all well and good, but I'm going to just go now,” he turns to swing away.

“Be careful with Cadmus,” Arsenal tells him, motioning to his metal arm. “They do fucked up things to whoever they grab.” It stops him and he frowns, looking at the arm and at Arsenal. It's stupid and he's not Bucky, but they're so similar he can't stop himself from walking up to Arsenal and casually patting his shoulder. “I know someone who ended up in a similar situation, arm and all. Being fucked with by evil organizations doesn't make you broken. You make you broken. And as far as I can tell, you're stronger than any of their bullshit.”

Arsenal looks stunned and thoughtful at the sudden outburst. Peter can see the muscles, wound tight, loosen as he relaxes. He's not sure how long the archer's lived thinking like that, but he knows that it's been too long. It makes him pissed to realize that he's close with Nightwing and the other heroes but none of them have even noticed how the archer was suffering.

Peter smiles and inclines his head towards the archer, who smiles at him – an honest to God smile. He webs away from the rooftop, heading for his new apartment, feeling better. Bucky did always have a way of making him feel better. Maybe this time he could finally pass on the favor and look out for another.

He slipped back into his apartment at 4am, careful to avoid the gaze of his stalker (hero).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this was so short. I might be posting another chapter tomorrow of this work (because I really wanted to do a longer chapter but it felt right to leave it at this end).
> 
> Anyways, for now this is today's "24".  
> Hope you enjoyed.


	10. Some Things Don't Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breakfast after a long night is nice. Hanging out with a new friend is even nicer.

Waking up the next day was utter Hell. Peter swears that he hates evil organizations. Taking a shower with his cuts and bruises is murder. He makes a mental note to tell Jarvis to send a Loki bug to their systems. That would mess with all their data and yet make copies on a private server he'd set up for himself. Teach them to fuck up his uniform because he was not going to enjoy sewing it back together. At least having some food and he'd heal up in a matter of minutes. He'd been too worn out to eat. Thank God for hot showers. Or thank Thor (it's an ongoing joke with Clint, eh).

His spider sense tingled telling him that he was being watched. God, he wants to know if Nat or Clint ever felt like a stalker when they were watching a target. Peter knows Bucky doesn't and that makes him smile.

He ducks his head into a blind spot and slips in his comm. “Morning Jarvis,” he murmurs. “Good morning, sir,” Jarvis responds. “Breakfast?” It makes Peter laugh a little and Jarvis sounds slightly insulted. “I mean, it would be a good idea to ensure that you eat this morning. Your wounds may heal more exponentially, but they won't heal without nourishment.”

“Thanks Jarvis,” he replies with a grin as he fixes some breakfast for himself. Eggs and toast. Steve had made sure that he could cook meals, unlike Tony. He devoured six fried eggs and four slices of toast, washing it all down with a glass of orange juice and a glass of milk. He seriously needed coffee though.

Peter knows Tony would hate this part. The dish washing. Tony had Jarvis do the dish washing in the Tower. It didn't bother Peter so much, because he used to do it when he lived with Aunt May. It's almost therapeutic. Still… He lets one plate slip and crash with a sudden idea and slips the comm into a cabinet.

Within five seconds, he hears a window slide open roughly and a thud on the floor. There's the short, growing sound of running and Arsenal slides into the room, instantly relaxing when he sees there's no threat. “You couldn't have.. I don't know called?” Peter raises an eyebrow and shakes his head. “No cell phone yet.” He pours a glass of juice and holds it out to the archer. “Juice?”

Arsenal just shrugs and take the juice, gulping it down. “So, nice to meet you, Arsenal,” Peter tells him with a smile, ignoring the glass. He closes his eyes for a second to glow in the familiar mechanical sound of the whirring of a robotic arm. “Pietr, right?” Peter opens his eyes and nods. “You good?” He gestures to fading bruises on Peter's body, narrowing his eyes when they practically heal right in front of him.

“All good,” Peter says. He can feel the stare, the thoughts rippling through the archer's mind. There are theories forming behind that mask and he knows some of them aren't good. He's made himself suspicious, but he's also set it in place that he was one of Cadmus' experiments, something he knows Arsenal will empathize with – something that the Justice League will empathize with. Some of them will pity him, but he'll ignore them. Their opinions don't matter. All he has to do is stay strong until help arrives or until he can catch a portal home.

“Right,” Arsenal says slowly, eyes still glancing at the places his bruises had healed before his eyes. Peter just shrugs. Arsenal doesn't ask any questions. Whether it's because he's treading softly, cautious, or whether he's thinking about his own time at Cadmus, Peter's not sure.

“How long are you my watcher?”

Arsenal sighs and he looks a bit tired. It makes Peter feel a bit bad, having met with the archer last night and fought robots with him. He must be exhausted. “Until dark,” he replies. Peter frowns. That's quite some time. “I'm going to grab a few things and then head out,” he tells the archer, “but I'll come back shortly. Maybe we can watch some a movie on my laptop?” He can practically hear the archer thinking, but he nods. “Sounds okay,” Arsenal replies, seeming to like the idea of lazing about. Peter agrees.

Arsenal's gone when he disappears to grab his wallet and put on his shoes. The broken plate is gone, tossed into the trash and the glass Arsenal drank from is clean and on a towel beside the sink. 'As fluffy inside as Bucky,' Peter remarks to himself with a smile. 'Time to grab a few things.'

It hadn't taken long to grab what he needed. A few bit of technology and some groceries. One of the best parts is the two cups of coffee he grabs. He's not sure how Arsenal takes his, but he'd ordered two Flashes. It makes him snicker how the city's made a special coffee and named it after their protector. NYC would never do anything like this for Spider-Man. He does, however, have some merchandise but nothing to rival that of the Avengers.

Peter's putting the groceries away just as Arsenal slips back in. “Got you some coffee,” he lets him know, not looking back from putting things in the fridge and cabinets. “Thanks,” Arsenal says as he picks up a cup and takes a sip, hissing as the hot liquid hits his tongue. “It's hot,” Peter remarks, amused. When he looks at Arsenal, he makes a rude gesture that reminds him of something Clint would do.

Finished putting things away, he and Arsenal settle on the floor as Peter pulls up a movie on his laptop. It's an adventure film. _Journey to the Center of the Earth._ They sip their coffees, Arsenal a bit more careful this time and watch the movie in silence for the most part, sometimes snickering at the funny bits. They start on the second film, but end up taking naps and it's quiet but they definitely have cricks in their necks when they wake up three hours later.

Arsenal was the first to wake and his grumbling about weird sleeping posture woke Peter, who decided not to let the archer know he was awake as well. He waited until the archer's presence vanished out the window before he got up and stretched. He retrieved the comm and slipped it into his ear. “Nice nap, sir?” He did always seem to know what Peter was doing. “Peachy,” he said sarcastically. If Jarvis were a person he would've rolled his eyes at Peter's words, but he stuck to just saying 'very well'.

Peter gathered his things, taking care to remember his backpack with his… special things. From there he simply walked out the door and headed out onto the streets. He wasn't willing to lose his watcher, perhaps simply due to the fact that he did like Arsenal. He had a fiery attitude but was all warm and fluff when it came to the people he cared about, even if it did hide more than show. So he let the archer follow him into Central City Bank to withdraw money and see about getting a debit card. Which was all well and great, until… spider-sense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday, my dear Readers!  
> I was originally going to post a different update to a different work, buttttt~ I figured why not have an update to this? (Is it just me or is Marvel more popular than DC?)
> 
> Anywho! I would've updated this one sooner, but had a migraine for a couple of days and my computer keeps protesting when I type (screen goes all wonky and stuff - it's possessed).
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter. I promise action in the near future. Action that makes me feel dizzy too.  
> Have a lovely Friday!


	11. The Problem with Electircity-based Bad Guys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bank robbery is over, but it seems that criminals activities come in pairs.

Just as he had been about to walk out, he'd sensed danger. Not towards him specifically, thank gosh. So it wasn't Cadmus, but the place. The location. And being a vigilante, Peter was more than able to recognize the situation. Men with bulges under their coats only solidified his theory. This was a robbery.

He gritted his teeth and tried to think fast. 'Shit.' What could he do? He wasn't 'on duty'. He did, however, have a little guardian angel with a robotic arm. The thought made him grin. Acting casually, he slipped his comm into his ear. “Jarvis, set off the silent alarm in this bank,” he requested. Jarvis responded. The alarm rang faintly in his ears with his enhanced hearing.

“It looks the League is sending Flash to back up Arsenal,” Jarvis told him. He inclined his head with appreciation towards the League. Arsenal was probably still pretty tired. And stiff, if Peter's own body aches were anything to go by. He had to buy some cushions or _something_ because holy shit, falling asleep on his apartment floor was uncomfortable.

And then everything starts moving. There's gunfire, the robbers are yelling orders to everyone in the bank and forcing them on their knees. Peter follows their instructions like any other civilian, except he keeps his body tense, muscle wound tight and prepared for action. He lets “fear” find a place on his face because he's not supposed to have abilities. He's “normal” here.

But help is coming. Flash will be there any minute now. Arsenal is probably barely holding himself back from stomping in there alone and kicking butt. It's just what Bucky would do, and that thought makes his heart clench. He closes his eyes for a moment, blinking back tears. Peter misses them, but he'll make it. His family – the Avengers, himself, the X-Men, they've all been through shit and yet somehow they make it.

'Just be strong,' he reminds himself.

Opening his eyes again, senses tingling, he hears glass shatter as an arrow comes whizzing through the air and burying itself in one robbers shoulder. 'Damn good shooting,' and for a moment he lets himself think it's Clint, but there's no snark, no quip about appearing 'helpless when this is his job' so he fails to imagine it.

“Fellas, why so grim?” Flash quips, practically appearing out of thin air.  _ That _ makes Peter smile. 'Wally sure can quip,' he grins to himself, not quite seeing it but feeling the way Flash's eyes glance over at him, assessing. He inclines his head a little to let Flash know he's okay.

Flash grins even as he dodges bullets. Peter's dodged bullets before but Flash catches them, plucking them from mid-air and he knew he could do that. He's read the Cadmus files, but seeing it in person makes it look so much more graceful, so much more amazing.

More arrows fly through the air, burrowing in the arms of the robbers. Flash streaks through the room, disarming the attackers and knocking them on their asses. It's incredible, yet it makes Peter frown a little. He feels like he should be up there, with them. It's his job too. But not here. Here, he's not one of them. They aren't the Avengers. They're the Justice League.

The fight is over fast and people are running out of the bank while Arsenal and Flash chit chat, keeping guard over the robbers until the police arrive. Peter just waits, leaning against the wall, watching. “They did good, didn't they Jarvis?” Jarvis hums in agreement. “Splendidly, sir.”

A faint tingle alerts him to… something. He frowns and pushes himself off the wall. The two heroes haven't noticed. His eyes sweep through the building, there's glass everywhere and bullet holes. Peter glances at the would-be robbers and they seem docile enough. It can't be them, can it?

And then suddenly the faint tingle is screaming and he stumbles a little, catching himself on a counter. “Shit,” he curses to himself, because something's wrong. Something is  _ so _ wrong. Then he sees it.

Electricity. A bolt of lightning bursting through the overhead window raining glass down onto the two heroes and before he knows it, before they know it, he's grabbed their wrists and yanked them out of the shower of glass, avoiding the electric bolt. Flash is the first to react, breaking out of his shock and racing outside to find the source.

Arsenal looks a little dazed, hair a bit stuck up from the electricity in the air. He hisses a little and Peter's instantly looking for the source. Then he sees it. Arsenal's robotic arm is sparking a little. Shit a little electricity must've branched off and struck it. Peter's surprised it didn't shock him, but there must be some insulator in his arm. “Hold still,” he tells the archer, eyes flickering over to the entrance, hoping Flash is okay, before he grabs a pen and fiddles with the robotic arm.

“That should hold it for now,” he says. “Get it looked at later with someone who has the proper tools.” Peter's heightened hearing detects the sounds of a fight and the sound of speed. He dashes out of the bank with Arsenal hot on his tail, looking a bit perplexed.

There are police cars, some upended on the road. People are running away and Flash is on his knees, uniform steaming from heat. There's a painful looking black scorch on his shoulder. When light flashes in his peripherals, Peter finds the source of the electricity.

It's not Electro, but it looks damn close enough. Instead of the electric body, it's someone in a skin tight dark suit with blue electricity running over his body. And the electricity looks like… Waves. Peter freezes causing Arsenal to bump into him, cursing, but Peter stays still. He knows that description.  _ Cadmus.  _ He recognizes the Cadmus agent Electric Wave.

“Shit.” Flash can't seem to move fast enough. There's something wonky with his speed. Arsenal's firing an arrow, but it's not doing anything except annoying the electric villain. Peter looks around the scene and spots it. Fire hydrant.

There's a crowbar lying abandoned on the sidewalk. He runs and snatches it up on the way to the hydrant. Once there he raises the metal tool and brings it crashing down on one of the nozzles. Water gushes from the open pump and Peter's quick to bring the hood of a car he rips off over the uncontrolled water. It's crude but it's enough for him to direct the water spouting out at the villain.

Flash and Arsenal seem to have enough foresight to dodge the water before it hits the villain. It wouldn't be fun to be shocked. Electric Wave shrieks in pain as his own suit shocks him. He falls onto the pavement twitching as his suit shorts out. Peter would wince and feel sympathetic, but he did just try to fry his friends, so, no he's fine with the way the Cadmus agent whimpers in pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I admit I'm suffering from some writers block as of late.. "Along Came a Goblin" and "Comfort Me" are presenting issues. Luckily there's this work that seems to not be suffering too badly.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter. More to come!


	12. Quips and Clowns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As if an electric villain who partially reminded him of Electro wasn't bad enough now he has to deal with... Clowns!?

Peter thrusts metal into the open nozzle as a makeshift stopper. It's not perfect but it'll hold until it can be properly fixed. He's more paying attention to the agent than anything. He marches over there, ignoring the way Flash and Arsenal are following him with their eyes.

He stands over the fallen villain with a curious expression on his face. “Hello there firefly, how ya doing?” He can't help the smirk that comes when he gets curses as a response. He kneels down beside the immobile criminal with a less than inviting smile. “Now, now, what if some child heard you? Bad lightning bug,” he scolds the criminal who is glaring at him, wishing him death no doubt. It's an ineffective glare. Natasha could kill him with hers. This guy barely makes him twitch.

“Cadmus will get you, you lab rat,” Electric Wave bites out. It makes Peter frown. “Sure they will, nightlight. Have you noticed how much they suck at protecting their bases?” Peter retorts. “I doubt they'll have any free time to come looking for me.” He tries not to grin at the thought of Spider-man slipping through their fingers, not once, but twice.

Electric Wave growls and lashes out with his fist. Peter's senses warn him he won't be hit, even if it's coming on a direct path to his face. Flash appears out of nowhere and grabs the fist before it can connect. Ah, that would be why. “Bad flashlight,” Flash tells the criminal. “Nice one.” Flash grins at him, “Thanks! Loved yours too, by the way. Perfect.” Oh yes, Peter likes this one.

Arsenal reaches out and grabs agent's arms, tying them behind his back with a zip tie. “Huh, prepared, aren't you? Boy scout?” Arsenal gives him a look and Peter holds up his hands in surrender. “You want a boy scout, talk to Big Blue.” Big… Oh. He meant Superman. Yeah, Peter can see that.

With the fighting over, police fill into the area along with other rescue workers. Peter and the two heroes watch as the police take the robbers in. “Couldn't stay out of trouble, could you?” Peter's head shoots up as he sees Green Lantern descending. “Not my fault, talk to the Speedy Demon here,” Arsenal remarks, a thumb quirking in Flash's direction. Flash pouts and yeah, it looks kind of cute on him. “It's not me!” Flash's voice squeaks, indignant.

Eyes turn in Peter's direction and he raises an eyebrow. “What can I say, I'm a high valued commodity.” It was meant in good spirit, but he can see the way they wince subtly. Probably too soon for them. He was just rescued from Cadmus a week or so ago.

It ends with Green Lantern taking Electric Wave and Arsenal up to the Watchtower. There went his little guardian angel. “So...” Flash had stayed and it seems to have been some silent agreement that Flash would watch over him. “You hungry?” He could hear the Speedster's stomach rumble from here. When he inclines his head, Flash makes to grab him and he jumps back with a firm 'no'. It makes him pout, again, but he gives and the two walk to a pizzeria for food.

Needless to say Flash ate more than he'd ever thought humanly possible. Peter ate a bunch, but  _ still _ . How many calories did he burn every day that he'd need to eat that much? God, Peter prayed Flash.. Wally, because he said he could call him that, never stopped running because if he ever did Peter was sure he'd blow up like a balloon. Would not be a pretty sight.

When another call came in requesting Flash's presence, Peter was left alone but not before he was assured that another hero would come by soon. Peter just shrugged. It was all the same to him. He wondered who it would be but he wasn't going to hold his breath for Arsenal or Nightwing. They had other things to do. He wracked his brains to think who it could be. 'Robin? Black Canary? Question? Scratch that last one.'

“This world has some interesting heroes. It's almost as crazy as Avengers Tower,” Peter remarked as he walked down the street. “Indeed, sir. There seem to be some similar aspects,” Jarvis mentioned. It was nice to be able to talk to Jarvis at least. “Do you think they miss me?” He bit his lip anxiously as he imagined Central City as NYC, envisioning a familiar tall tower in the distance. “I do, sir.” He shook his head clear of the daydream with a reassured smile.

He doesn't have any time to react on a sudden tingle in the back of his head when a pair of arms reach out and grab him. Peter almost considers screaming for a second before someone jams cloth into his mouth, which tastes disgusting by the way. Metallic, like some sort of chemical. Whoever's got him is strong, but he's genetically enhanced so there's no way he's going down without a fight. He manages to elbow the mystery guy's cheek and one arm lets go. It's not enough as another pair join in in holding him and he's cursing up a storm in his mind, flailing and lashing out, feeling satisfied when he gets in a few hits.

He finally gets eyes on the grabbers and kinda feels disgusted when he notices clown masks on their faces. 'And there's a big, white van in the alley…' Peter feels very much creeped out. 'Didn't even offer me candy first,' he wants to say, feeling his strength drain away at an alarming rate. He's going to blame it on whatever's on the cloth in his mouth, because whatever it is it has an effect on his physiology and he wants to tell them that it's not cherry flavored.

They manage to stuff him inside the van and yeah, he's going to be so bruised soon. Fuckers were not gentle about it. His head starts to spin a little and the world seems to tilt sideways. Yeah, he decides he really hates drugs. He can vaguely hear the sound of tires screeching as the van juts out into the street and horns being honked. “Sir?” Jarvis asks, sounding a bit worried. “Are you alright?” Peter wants to respond but there's a disgusting, chemical soaked clothe in his mouth and he can only grunt.

“Joker's going to like what we got. Kid's supposed to be able to bring down the Justice League or some'em,” he hears someone say. He's heard of the Joker. All of a sudden being abducted by clowns makes a whole lot more sense. Peter's starting to regret reading the Cadmus villain files as well. Joker was a seriously messed up psychopath. Kinda like Deadpool except with more crazy, no good quips, and totally bad fashion sense (and Deadpool doesn't actually kill much anymore unless he has to and he bought Peter tacos).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so... I thought I'd double up. Well, at least post this chapter because I'm having trouble writing recently and I do not want to be someone who just pops off the grid of writing. Anyways, going to take tomorrow to try and jump start my brain with more ideas (other than just starting new fanfics because I now have... like six works that I need to work on - I torture myself).
> 
> Not sure when the Avengers are going to show up. It's looking to be like it'll be a few more chapters, BUT! There will be a guest appearance in the chapter after the next. Anyone wanna guess who?  
> Thanks for reading! Comments are always appreciated and motivating.


	13. From Clowns to Ninja Assassins to Heroes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wally might've been kidnapped by insane clowns, but it turns out they aren't the only ones after him. Thank Thor help arrives.

The clown masks are really started to creep him out with those motionless smiles.

“Sir, better brace yourself,” Jarvis' voice tells him a moment before the van flips in mid-air. Peter's back hits the ceiling of the car and he's lucky his hands have enough strength to hold him in place. Clown masked bodies land on him as the car slides upside down on the pavement before jolting to a sudden halt. There's shattered glass everywhere, some inside his skin making him wince.

If he wasn't nauseous before he definitely is now. 'What did those candy-less creeps give me?' He pushes the bodies off clumsily and drags himself halfway out of the window. Gas is dripping and there's a flicker of flames. His senses are yelling at him and he wants to listen to them and run the fuck away but he doesn't think he could even pull himself up.

More hands grab him and he seriously considers pulling a Deadpool and slicing off everyone's hands because he's just getting sick of this. Blearily, he looks up to see a group of… ninjas? Ninja assassins? 'What the ever lovin' fuck!? It's daytime! Why aren't they burning?' Peter's brows furrow in confusion before he realizes. 'Oh, not vampires. Ninja assassins.' He vaguely hears them mutter about taking him back to Ra's al Ghul to complete their mission and that makes him groan.

He's about ready to cry in frustration. He's a superhero. What is this? What the fuck is going on? It's like everyone's out to get him all of a sudden and he doesn't even know everyone who's out to get him. Firstly Electric Wave, then Joker's clown posse, and now Ra's al Ghul's ninja puppets? Oh he is so done with this shit.

Peter's eyes slip closed, unbidden and he hears the sounds of fighting and shouting, glass and explosions in the distance. At least, he thinks it's in the distance, he honestly can't tell. Peter whines as hands suddenly vanish and he collides with asphalt. There's the burning sensation of road rash and he knows he's going to be even more bruised.

Practically delirious by this point he cries out, begging for Tony and Bucky, for Clint, Natasha, Steve, and Bruce… He wants Wade and Matt to get him out of him. He wants to hear Thor's booming voice telling him it's alright. He wants to feel Loki's cool hands on his face, assuring him that he's taking care of the 'blithering fools'.

Gentle, but strong hands brush his hair from his face and he whines. “Sssh, it's okay. You're okay,” someone says and he turns his head towards the whirring of a robotic arm. He reaches out towards it  weakly. “Bucky,” he slurs and later he'll be so embarrassed that he's acting like a five year old who's afraid of the dark, but whatever was in that drug is seriously messing with him.

He feels arms hoist him up and he panics suddenly. “No… no, no more!” Peter's cheeks are wet and he struggles against the arms holding him. “Don't touch me.. Go away!” He lashes out with uncontrolled strength and he hears someone's startled yet pained cry as someone stumbles with the sudden impact of his fist.  
“What the hell?”

“Kid. Kid! Pietr!” He stilled, frowning. Pietr was the name he gave to the Justice League, not Cadmus. Cadmus knew his name, those stalkers…

He opened his eyes, body trembling with pain and weakness. Batman. Superman. Green Arrow. Arsenal. Nightwing. Flash. He shivered in Green Arrow's arms. Superman had a hand on his arm and was looking halfway being shocked and suspicious. It must've been the Kryptonian that he'd hit, after all he was standing a few steps away before he moved forward and took Peter from Green Arrow's arms. He grimaced with realization. He probably used more strength than he wanted to show, which was probably the reason Superman took him from Green Arrow.

There was a dangerous air about Batman's posture and he whimpered pathetically without meaning to. Nightwing seemed to notice Peter's aversion to his dark looking mentor and stepped in front of Peter's view of him. It calmed him down a little. “Ssh.. it's okay Pietr,” Nightwing murmured to him. “You're okay.” His reassurances were comforting and let his body relax in the alien's arms a little. He liked Nightwing after all. Flash and Arsenal too. Jury was still out on Superman, Batman and Green Arrow (but Green Arrow kind of reminded him of Clint a tad, so he had a heads up). Oliver had more money than Clint did though and he didn't belong to a super secret spy organization.

His attention slipped from the heroes to the destruction around them. Peter could see the upside down car with the clowns that were more than likely dead from the impact. There were the unconscious bodies of the puppets of Ra's al Ghul on the road and sidewalk around him, but he was sure some of them escaped. Maybe. He couldn't be too sure with the gathered heroes involved.

“Kid,” he swiveled back to face Arsenal. “You're hurt.” Well, duh. “We need to take you to the Watchtower, okay? There's a Medbay that's secure there.” Space. Open air. It wasn't too different from SHIELD's Helicarrier, but he still hated Medbays. “Don' wanna, Roy..” he muttered with a subtle pout on his face. He wasn't a kid and he was pretty damn sure Roy was only like three years older than him, so yeah, not a kid.

If he hadn't been so drugged up, he would've noticed the way faces darkened with the accidental use of Arsenal's real name. He'd been doing so good too. But whatever. They started talking around him, but he paid them no mind.

“-Sir? Peter?” Jarvis spoke in his ear. “There's a temporal disturbance about half a yard away. It appears something, or someone, is coming.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Between my family stuff and this computer (with its messed up screen that never seems unblurred or unlined) I'm having a hard time writing. This is actually a pre-extreme computer issues chapter that I had written up but was editing a bit. Hopefully I'll be able to get my computer fixed sometime soon (I hope and pray and wish and whatnot).
> 
> In the meantime, hope you enjoyed the update.


	14. Familiar Face

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another Marvel character joins Peter in the DC verse, but who?

“There's a comm,” Superman blurts out. The heroes look at him confused. “In his ear, there's a comm. Someone said something about a temporal disturbance nearby and 'someone or something coming' through.” The League members tense, heads whipping about to find the source, some flickering to Peter's ears, looking for the comm they hadn't known about.

There's a flash of light and some sort of gravitational pull as a hole opens up down the street. Everyone shifts to fighting formation, the boy laying limp in Superman's arms with a confused expression that looks a bit adorable. Out of the hole steps a man, or someone humanoid, with a curved horned helmet and green and gold robes with a staff. His eyes are dark and swirling with some kind of incredible power as they latch onto the heroes.

“Let. Him. Go.” The man's voice booms with a forceful intonation to it that makes them want to let Pietr go, but they hold themselves still. “I will not ask again, mortals.”

There's a swoosh and Wonder Woman, J'onn, and Green Lantern arrive behind them, landing with soft thuds. They don't ask questions, they just move in beside the other heroes, J'onn giving Pietr a worried glance.

“Who are you? What do you want with Pietr?” Nightwing demands, tensed. The man raises an eyebrow in curiousness and seems to mouth the name, rolling it on his tongue like he's tasting it.

“Pietr,” he says the name with an interesting glint of amusement in his eyes, “is mine.”

“No, he's not,” Flash snaps, dislike of the 'mine' part obvious in his voice. “We're not just going to hand him over to some freak in a dress!”

The man's eyes narrow dangerously and Flash gulps a little with a sudden jolt of fear. “Hand him over. I will not ask twice, mortals.”

“You say 'mortals',” Wonder Woman asks, voice raised. “Yet you yourself seem human.” The man scoffs at the idea. “Who – What are you?”

“L-Loki,” Pietr calls weakly, hands out towards the man, glazed eyes glinting with recognition. Eyes glance in shock at the boy in Superman's arms. “Loki!?” Wonder Woman's eyes widen. In a puff of smoke, the man disappears, only to reappear right in front of Superman, a gentle hand resting on Pietr's cheek.

“Don't move,” Batman growls. It seems the threat of Batman means little to 'Loki' who doesn't even bother twitching. He just looks at Pietr with warm eyes and a soft smile. “You really stepped in it this time, didn't you Little One,” Loki murmurs to Pietr who pouts and reaches out to Loki.

Superman goes to pull back from the god only to freeze in place. Loki scowls at Superman dangerously. “He's not yours,” Loki asserts and pulls Pietr from Superman's arms delicately. Pietr whimpers like a child and Loki strokes his cheek in a loving manner. “Ssh.. I've got you.”

“So.. you know him,” Nightwing states carefully. Loki glances at him. “Obviously.”

“Look, I don't care if he's your family, your friend, whatever, but right now he needs medical attention and you need to let us help him,” Arsenal eyes the god, stepping forward, unabashed. Loki's eyes fall on him before they return to Pietr in his arms. The god-like demeanor seems to fade a little as he counts the bruises and wounds on Pietr and he nods slowly. “Very well, but I am not leaving his side,” Loki states. Superman stumbles suddenly able to move again and Green Lantern braces him as feeling comes back to his limbs.

Batman growls in annoyance, but reasons that there's little he could do to stop a god from doing what he wants. “Fine,” he coldly responds. “Lantern.” Green Lantern steps up and green energy curls around the god and boy, gathering them up and flying into the sky, the others teleporting there ahead of time to tighten security.

Loki kept an eye on all of the heroes, scoffing at their security in a haughty manner. Wonder Woman stuck nearby, probably as the one with the most experience with gods, even if their origins did differ. Still, Loki didn't move from Peter's side. Not even during treatment, he just sat there, clinging to Peter's hand and telling him it was all going to work out.

After the treatment, Loki and Peter were moved into a private guest room. They'd both insisted that remaining in the Medbay wasn't necessary, Peter more than Loki for obvious reasons. It was a relief when Arsenal supported Peter's decision. He hadn't revealed the depth of what he'd seen for which Peter was grateful, though a brief meeting of their eyes told him Arsenal would want to know more later. Peter shrugged it off.

Peter sighed, shifting in his bed with Loki sitting on a chair to the side. It wasn't medical, but Loki had insisted that Peter rest and he honestly didn't have the strength to argue. He was exhausted. Stupid clowns. Stupid assassin ninjas. Stupid electric idiot..

“Peter? Are you well?” Loki asked, eyes glimmering with concern. It made him smile. “Just tired,” he replied. Nervously he bit his lip, because he had yet to ask how, why, what.. He needed answers from Loki, he was just afraid to get them, but Loki seemed to understand.

“The Avengers received your message a week after you'd disappeared. When you didn't show up for their film night, they searched for days, so when the message came they were afraid of what it was,” Loki explained and Peter understood that. Video messages could be terrifying things. Tony's past was proof of that.

“We.. Stark was able to trace the signal back to the Hydra base. There were files on the project. Files on the other world. And the portal.” Loki's face changed a little into a scowl at the memory. “It was closed from this side so we couldn't get through.”

Peter winced a little, guilty. “Yeah, that.. that would be my fault? The self-destruction, Cadmus triggered it when I escaped and the Justice League showed up.” Loki's face softened and he patted Peter's arm.

“The Avengers tried everything. Stark went to Reed, even to the X-Men, but no one could figure out how to open the portal to this world without a receiving portal to complete the tunnel.” Peter could picture it. Tony would be drinking twenty cups of coffee a day, trying to figure out how to work the portal technology without a receiving portal.

“My brother and I found a point in Asgard where the dimensional barriers are the weakest. I was able to grab a sense of the dimensional aura from the communicator that you'd thrown through the portal to guide me to this realm,” Loki finished.

Peter tilted his head from side to side, processing everything Loki said, imaging his friends, his family, his home. “I miss them,” he softly says after ten minutes of silence. Loki's arms wrapped around Peter and hugged him. “I know.. I know...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My computer isn't fixed so the screen is messing up as I'm updating this and making me nauseous with all the flickering and blurriness, but I got a lot of comments on the last chapter about who it could be and nobody guessed it would be Loki. I think I heard Deadpool most? Haha, which I had considered Deadpool because of his teleportation device, but I figured Loki would also be able to find ways (because he's Loki). But, if there's another character joining Peter and Loki, it'll most likely be Deadpool. I'm getting some ideas in my head now and I can't type them on this crazy computer. Gahh.. Frustration. This is worse than writer's block because I can actually continue writing, but I can't write in the document on the computer (at least not much at all).
> 
> Anyways, sad to say, but my computer is still on the fritz. I'm hoping to get it looked at today or tomorrow, if luck exists.  
> Comment, let me know what you thought of Loki coming into the picture :)


	15. Homesick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arsenal comes in to talk about how he knows Pietr is 'that Spider-guy' and Peter finds himself homesick again, but at least this time he has Loki by his side.

_-Knock knock knock-_

 

The door to the room slid open because obviously they were only visitors and no one would let them lock their damn room.  Arsenal steps through the door, a small hiss escaping as it closed behind him.  “Thought we could have that talk,” the archer reminds him, watching as Peter and Loki pull away from one another.  His eyes are sharp towards Loki, analyzing, objectifying, searching for signs of a threat.

 

“This is Roy Harper, Arsenal,” Peter introduces him to Loki, noticing the lack of surprise on his part about his civilian identity.  “This is Loki,” he gestures to the god whose only reaction is to incline his head in greeting.  It's enough because Roy doesn't look like he wants to make nice with a god.  Still, since his secret's out, he pulls off his mask.

 

Loki's.. cautious.  To the untrained eye, he's relaxed and open.  He's in no means trusting, but he's not showing his strength either.  He can see the way Peter's fingers twitch and his eyes sweep over to Loki.  Peter knows Loki's still guarded and Loki knows Peter's not going to say anything against it.

 

“So,” Arsenal – Harper starts, “I guess you're almost healed by now, huh?”  Loki frowns at this information.  He'd seen Peter beaten like he'd been trampled by a Frost Giant and those injuries should take several days to heal.  Peter notices his questioning frown and smiles apologetically.  “Cadmus experiments,” Peter takes a deep breath as to calm himself, “gave me a quicker healing ability.  I think it was a combination of whatever they injected me with and testing my healing thoroughly.”

 

Loki can't help the way his body stiffens with the knowledge that someone, more than one someone's had been “testing” Peter's healing abilities for the passed month or so.  He's not ignorant.  Peter's used “testing” as a way to downplay what had happened.  He knows Peter.  The way that he can practically feel Peter's heart rate increase and cold sweat appears on his pale face are all indicators of brutal torture and Loki wants to find the bastards who did it and slowly rip them limb from limb using magic to keep them conscious and aware.

 

He didn't miss the way the archer stiffened, muscles tensing and the way his eyes darkened with signs of his past.  It was clear that he, too, had suffered at the hands of.. _Cadmus_.  Loki's not a fan of Hydra or AIM and he mentally adds Cadmus to that list.

 

Arsenal's head tilts a little and he shrugs.  “Is this a bad time to tell you that I know the Spider guy?”  Loki's mouth quirks in a grin.  “The 'Spider guy'?”  Peter mouths, looking a tad upset.  “Spider-Man.  Not 'Spider guy'.”  Arsenal just grins at the pout on Peter's face.  “Whatever you say, Spider-kid.”

 

'That is so on purpose,' Peter mutters mentally to himself.

 

“You won't tell anyone, will you?”  Peter asks, lower lip slightly jutting out the way Loki's seen him do when he begs for something.  It's… highly effective, even Loki admits.  It seems to work just fine on the archer as well as he hesitates before giving in.  “Fine,” he surrenders with a sigh.  “Am I the only one who knows?”

 

Peter shakes his head.  “J'onn knows too.  I told him the day I escaped Cadmus.”  Loki raises a curious eyebrow, because he hasn't met this 'J'onn' yet and he's curious to meet one whom Peter would share such a secret with during a first meeting.

 

“He's a lot like you,” Peter told Loki.  “Minus the 'take over the world and destroy humans' beginning.”  Loki, having picked up on a few human habits, rolled his eyes, smirking when he saw the narrowing of the archer's eyes in caution.  “Don't worry, Roy.  He's good now.”

 

Loki gave the archer a wide, toothy grin.  “Not completely.”

 

Roy gave Peter a look and he just shrugged in return.  Peter could understand his caution, but after everything, he knew that Loki would never hurt him.  They were family after all.

 

'Family…' Peter frowned as a wave of homesickness hit him like a ton of bricks.  He wanted to go home, wanted to be with them again.  He kept thinking about how they couldn't find a way to get here.. How Loki had only managed through a weak point he'd found in the dimensional barrier in Asgard.

 

“You can't take me back, can you,” Peter asked Loki softly, keeping his eyes down.

 

He missed the way Loki's eyes darkened with sadness and how his face fell.  “No,” he replied.  “I barely managed to get here myself.  Even if I had the energy, I doubt we both would've been able to make it back.”

 

Peter nodded, slowly processing this new information.  He tried to ignore the way his heart fell with the news.  'At least there's Loki,' he reminded himself.  'We'll find a way.'

 

“Okay,” he breathed out.  “It's okay.  You're here.  We'll find a way,” he asserted.  Loki managed a smile and nodded.  “That we will, Pietr,” he said, still smirking at the change in Peter's name.  Peter caught the smirk and rolled his eyes.

 

Loki stays with Peter for the remainder of the day with Flash, Nightwing, Arsenal, and J'onn checking in throughout the day.  Loki is offered to join them in the cafeteria for a meal, but he declines so his food is brought to Peter's room instead (along with enough for Peter).

 

Peter's not sure what the other Justice League members know now.  It's not like J'onn or Arsenal told them, he knows.  Still, Batman and Nightwing are famous for their deducing skills and he's well aware that there are other talented members in the League who have their ways.

 

When J'onn tells him that he'll take care of the League until Peter can decide what he wants to do, Peter shamelessly curls up against Loki and shuts out the world.  He pretends he's back home, in the Tower, listening to Clint and Tony squabble.  Bucky's telling them how childish they sound and Natasha's ignoring the noise.  Steve and Bruce look like they're getting a headache.  Thor just smiles aimlessly and Loki scowls, contemplating their demise.

 

“Sshh… It's okay, Peter,” Loki tells Peter when a sob escapes his throat.  Peter's not sure what Loki is assuring him of it being 'okay' and he's not sure Loki is either.  A glance at Loki makes him realize that Loki feels just as cut off as he does in this alternate world.

 

“We'll be okay,” Peter says, leaning against Loki, determined to remain as strong as Loki is.  They exchange smiles and for the first time since he's arrived, he feels like home is a little closer to his grasp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being away so long. My computer's in the shop but I've managed to make it to the local library and am using one of their computers to update this. I'm thinking.. two chapters? I feel so bad for not being able to update and I also hate not being able to work on my fanfics. I've had some amazing ideas and I can't wait to get my computer back so I can write more.  
> It's going to be another week or so, but hopefully I can get some work done on borrowed computers, so please remain patient.
> 
> Thank you~


	16. Ditching Space

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter decides that he just doesn't like being in their space clubhouse, so he discharges himself and he and Loki decide to leave. Unfortunately, they don't make a clean getaway.

After a night on the Watchtower, Peter is more than ready to ditch their space station and he's pretty sure that Loki is if the twitches in his hands are of any hint. He's not sure it would go over well if Loki just blasted the doors with frustration, but if they try and keep him here, he'll do more than just mentally applaud Loki if he does decide to do it.

Tired of waiting, Peter throws off the blankets with little more than an eyebrow raised as a reaction from Loki. “We're ditching this space station,” he tells Loki, who smirks in return. “About time,” Loki tells him as Peter un-wraps the entire bandages that are just decoration now anyways and grabs his things.

They stalk out into the hallway, bumping into Flash with a thud, or at least Peter does. Loki just chuckles in amusement. 'Because nothing bad ever happens to the god of mischief,' Peter scowls to himself.

“Whoa, Little Buddy.” Peter glares at Flash as he helps him up. “Not my name,” he snaps. Flash raises his hands in surrender. “Got it, birdie,” Flash says and then explains, “because those moves you pulled when we first met reminded me of someone.” Peter rolls his eyes, knowing he's reminding Flash of his friend Nightwing, the former Robin, if Cadmus’ records are anything to base his assumptions on.

“Anything you say, Flasher,” he retorts back, lips twitching in a smile. “It's not – oh. That was on purpose,” Flash eyes Peter, critically. “You know the fact that you used 'Flasher' as a nickname is slightly disturbing, but I won't judge. I am quite the hot commodity.”

“Hot headed, you mean,” Nightwing quips as he steps around the corner up to them. Peter snickers as Flash looks over dramatically insulted. Nightwing looks over at Peter with a frown. “You're all better,” and Peter knows it's not a question.

“Engines at 100%, Captain Wing!” He can just see the gears turning in Nightwing's head as he draws conclusions, but when he doesn't ask anything, Peter just shrugs it off.

“Where are you two going,” Flash asks them as the two start moving along. “Back to planet Earth,” Peter calls back, hearing the pounding of footsteps as Flash and Nightwing catch up with them.

“But – but, you haven't seen the game room!” Flash is pouting again. Nightwing seems so used to it that he looks bored in the face of his friend's pout. “No offense, but I feel a bit too cramped up here. Plus, I don't know about you, but I can't survive in space.” Peter doesn't even bother looking at Loki who he knows can survive in space.

They arrive in the teleportation center without getting lost once.

“How did you…” Nightwing and Flash look at Peter and Loki curiously. They shouldn't have known how to get there.

“I…” Peter coughs, “might've hacked the Watchtower…”

Flash's jaw drops and Nightwing looks stunned into silence as they stare at Peter. Loki just looks proud. “Well done, Pe- Pietr,” Loki says, grinning to cover his almost accidental use of Peter's real name.

“And how did you do that?” The gruff voice of Batman demands as he steps out of the shadows. Peter jumps, startled. “What the shit!”

Barely having restrained himself from leaping onto the ceiling, he meets Batman's eyes beneath the cowl and fidgets nervously. “Um… I'm a genius?”

Batman raises an eyebrow. Peter corrects his tone. “I'm a genius,” he says with more certainty. Peter can just see the veins bulging in Batman as he grits his teeth. “Ten bucks he could take on Fury and win,” Peter leans over and whispers to Loki, whose eyes sparkle with amusement at the idea.

“What's going on?” They turn to see Superman, J'onn, and Green Lantern approach them, bodies tensing with caution.

“We're leaving,” Loki asserts, looking mildly bored and not anxious at being outnumbered at all, though Peter figures he's been outnumbered plenty of times and still manages to win. Peter, however, does not have the best track record of escaping superior numbers unscathed.

“Leaving?”

“What Loki means is that I'm perfectly fine, so there's no reason for us to stay here anymore,” Peter cuts Loki off from whatever scalding retort he had in mind. He holds himself perfectly still as Superman runs his eyes over Peter's form. It feels oddly invasive until he realizes that it is. 'X-Ray vision,' he remembers the files on Superman aka Clark Kent. 'Seriously, why does he even pretend to need glasses?'

“You are alright now?” Peter hears J'onn in his Open Space. Peter inclines his head towards J'onn, feeling Loki's assessing eyes on the Martian. Loki is anything but blind to the mental conversation.

Superman nods towards Batman, obviously supporting Peter's own opinion of his condition.

“You said you 'hacked the Watchtower',” Batman restates with a hardness that makes Peter want to flinch, but he's not about to back down. He's got no reason to bend to any of Batman's rough tactics.

Peter motions to his ear. “A friend I brought with me,” he almost adds from my dimension but cuts it off when Loki bumps his shoulder as a reminder.

“A.. friend,” Superman slowly says. “Is this the same friend who warned us about our visitor?” His eyes flicker to Loki who merely looks bored with the entire conversation.

Peter nods with a small smile, embarrassed. “Yes, an AI – Jarvis,” he says before tapping his comm. “Say 'hi', J.”

A computer turns on and from the speaker comes a British, robotic voice that Peter swears he loves even more since he's been here. “Good day to you,” Jarvis says because a simple 'hello' is just not British enough, but he keeps his mouth from spilling that thought out, although he knows Tony would just come right out with it.

Batman is staring at him, well – more like glaring at him with a look that makes Peter feel like he wants to rip into Peter and figure out just what he's hiding. Peter swallows and leans more towards Loki, who's glaring right back at Batman, unaffected by the glare and who looks like he's about half a second away from sending Batman to the nearest black hole.

“You hacked the Watchtower,” Batman grinds out, angrily.

“Technically we both did -” Peter starts before Batman interrupts him. “You and your AI hacked the Watchtower.”

Peter shrugs, defeated with a sigh. “Yes.”

Batman opens his mouth like he's about to yell at him or demand that Pietr be put in a containment cell until he gets answer but pauses and his mouth closes. It's a few heartbeats before Batman speaks again, this time stating, “It's you who's been feeding me the information about Cadmus.”

Loki catches Peter's eye, raising a questioning brow in return and Peter just shrugs at him before he nods at Batman. “Yeah,” he grudgingly admits.

“Why?” Peter blinks, because seriously? 'Why?' Uh, why not is the better question.

“Cadmus – bad guys? I had the information why not give it to someone who'll use it for good? Because someone needs to shut down their terrible hotel chain? Seriously, those guys had better not expect any good ratings on Yelp, because they have some health violations and are severely lacking in the good manners department,” Peter rambles, awkwardly like he does when Steve gives him his Captain America stare, demanding answers.

“Pietr,” Loki murmurs to grab his attention. 'Whoops, rambling again,' Peter cringes a little and shuts up.

“What Pietr means is, as a courtesy, he funneled any information to the correct authorities, being you,” Loki stated, inspecting his nails with boredom before he looked up. “Now then, Pietr and I will be on our way and if you have any further need of us, I'm sure the red archer or the fast one can check in on us.”

Peter couldn't help the grin that appeared on his face. It was so 'Loki-like' that for a second he felt like he was home, watching Loki snark at Tony, who would look indignant.

For whatever reason, Batman conceded relatively easily with only a few words of making sure that they stayed in contact and kept out of Cadmus' way. He only had to look at Arsenal before the archer stepped up to the teleportation platform with Peter and Loki. Jarvis migrated back into the comm system and then they were off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And... Another chapter! Yay~ I actually really liked this chapter. Love how Loki and Peter are doing together.  
> Hope you enjoyed~ (And maybe another.. short chapter?)  
> Remember to comment if you liked it because comments are like internet chocolates and receiving them is a little piece of happiness (I haven't eaten all day today so... I'm a little loopy, sorry.)


	17. Moving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki helps Peter move to his other apartment.

They arrived in Central City in Peter's apartment. “Sir, I've scrambled the GPS so that we can move freely from here on,” Jarvis said, echoing in Loki's ear. Peter gave Loki a raised eyebrow in question.

Loki just stared back at him. “Where'd you get that… You know what,” Peter interrupted himself, channeling Matt, “don't tell me, plausible deniability.” Loki smirked arrogantly in return, but Peter couldn't bring himself to be mad at him.

Arsenal seemed to know what was going on between them and ignored it. “Got another place to stay?"

Peter and Loki looked over at him, curiously. “For whatever reason, word is going around in the underground about you. It's probably not a good idea to stick around in Central,” he explained.

Peter nodded, biting his lip a little. He had just gotten used to this apartment in Central City after all and he had come to like it already. Still, Arsenal was right. He looked over at Loki. “Think you can teleport us to my other apartment in Star City?”

Loki gave him a look that practically said 'as-if-I-couldn't?-I- _am-_ a-god-after-all'. Peter let Loki tap into his memories to get the correct location before he held up his hand, scepter appearing and the three and his things were teleported straight into his other apartment in Star City.

Arsenal stumbled for a second as the light faded, dizzy. He wasn't sure he liked the kind of magical teleporting that this _god_ seemed to be capable of. “You can take your mask off, if you want.” His head swung to face Pietr's, or whatever his real name was – he'd have to ask.

“I kind of already know who you are and everything,” he admits. It takes a few moments for him to process it, but he removes his mask and looks him in the eye. “Your name,” Roy says.

Peter blinks for a moment before he catches on with a flustered look. “Oh! My real name! Peter. Peter Parker,” he tells Roy with a smile.

Roy smiles back at him. “Nice to meet you, Peter Parker.”

“Ahem!” They look at Loki, who looks more than a little bit irritated with being ignored. Peter ducks his head apologetically.

“Everything is in its proper place and the landlord of your previous place of residence has no memory or proof of anyone living there.” Loki waves his hand and suddenly he has a goblet of something that looks a lot like wine, which Peter is _not_ going to ask about.

Peter looks like he's holding himself back from hugging Loki and it looks kind of cute if Roy has to admit it. It seems Loki notices because the goblet vanishes and he moves over and wraps his arms around Peter, hugging him close. 'They really are a family,' Roy smiles to himself.

Loki pulls away from Peter and gives the apartment a once over before looking back at them, eyes serious. “Peter,” he begins gently, “I need to go find some answers.” Both Roy and Loki feel sad when they see Peter's face fall momentarily before he hides his loneliness.

“There were rumors in AIM that another portal was set to be completed soon,” Loki explains. Peter's heart stuttered for a moment at the news. Another portal. A way home. What were they doing sitting there then? They should be out looking for it.

“You need to stay here,” Loki orders him to stop any ideas Peter might have to go out there and find trouble. It has come to his attention just how much Peter gets into trouble with or without any back-up. “Cadmus is looking for you and we're not sure how much they know. You need to be careful and stay with the archer.”

After Electro Wave, clowns, and ninjas… yeah, Peter supposes laying low is a good idea and if he knows Loki, he'll infiltrate one of their bases and find out where the portal is. The glint in Loki's eyes is all Peter needs to see to know that, yes, Loki is going to infiltrate this world's evil organization. He supposes it's nothing new though.

“Be careful,” Peter urges him, trying his best not to cling. He's not ready to let go of his family member and one of the only pieces of home he has in this world, but if they were to make it home.. It had to be done.

Loki smiles, understanding, and ruffles his hair affectionately. “You too, Young Spider,” he says before he vanishes in a poof.

“So...” Peter fidgets awkwardly in his new apartment with Roy still in his Arsenal outfit by his side. “Now what?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the short chapter. It has no action really, buttt.... Fillers - what can you do?  
> Anyways, hope this short bit isn't too disappointing for any of you. Next chapter will be longer - an additional filler, but hopefully have some humor to it.
> 
> Thanks for being patient.


	18. Reminiscing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roy and Peter trade some amusing stories while scoping out Star City.

While Loki was off doing his “dastardly deeds” as Clint often called it when he disappeared for whatever reason he did, Roy was showing Peter around Star City. New city, new places to discover and remember.

It was during this time that Roy brought up Peter as Spider-Man. “So... you're a hero,” Roy questioned as the two sat on a park bench with a coffee each.  
Peter tilted his head and thought for a moment. He certainly had fought by the Avengers side, but they usually took care of the major incidents, like aliens, while Peter stuck with Daredevil and part-time vigilante, Deadpool. “Not really,” he said slowly. “I handle stick-ups, muggings, robberies, attempted rapes.. all the more common crimes while the Avengers, the heroes in my world, handle the alien invasions, so I'm more of a vigilante than a hero. Though sometimes I do help with the invasions.”

Peter looked up at the sky, murky from the pollution of Star City and thought of his home. “I stopped the NYC population from being turned into lizards once,” Peter mentions. Roy raises an eyebrow at the admission. “It was kind of my fault anyways,” Peter hastily throws out. “I was working with Doc Conners on a formula he and my dad were working on before he died and well, I found it, solved it, and one thing led to another.”

Peter went on to tell Roy how Doctor Conners was hoping for the serum to help him regenerate his arm, but when Oscorp pressured him he tested it on himself and became the Lizard. Then came the part where he lost Captain Stacy during the fight and Roy could see how Peter withdrew into himself. For an hero with arachnid DNA, he looked more like a turtle than anything. It made Roy’s heart clench, something he wouldn’t admit very much to anyone at all. He had a reputation to keep after all.

They proceeded to buy road stand hot-dogs, something that made Peter’s face light up in a way that made Roy chuckle. Then when they decide to get ice cream at the best place in the city, Roy swears it, Roy asks him more about Loki and how they met.

It’s not hard to see that it stuns the archer about how Loki was actually trying to take over – slash – destroy the world. The alien invasion doesn’t surprise him much and Peter remembers how many times there have been some seriously strange things going on in this world. All Peter’s world has got is a few aliens, the ever elusive SHIELD, Doctor Doom, Doc Ock, the Sinister Six… Roy’s world is more like Venom strange than anything.

“So, how did you end up so close to a god that nearabouts conquered your world?” Roy asks as he takes a bite of his double chocolate ice cream.  
Peter has to think for a second, because he’s asked that question himself before. “Well… After the invasion Odin locked away Loki’s powers to punish him, but he ended up slipping away and falling to Earth where we kinda bumped into each other.” Actually he had fallen on top of him, but they had both bumped into the ground eventually.

Roy listens as Peter explains how he had first been on edge with Loki, afraid he might be smote at any moment by the trickster god, but after Loki had shown up during his patrols, repeatedly, the two had formed a sort of bond. It had been on one occasion that the Avengers had shown up and had basically flipped shit over Loki.

Sure, they had some passed issues (not including the brainwashing of Hawkeye and the partial destruction of their city), but they had come to terms with the god as he had begun to show up around Peter and had even helped him. Roy's not surprised they were in shock over how Loki became fond of Peter. Technically, Roy himself was still in awe that such a thing could happen after he was told of the partial destruction of New York City, but gods were weird – he'd come to accept that.

Life in general was weird.  
Roy, in turn, told Peter about how he'd been taken by Cadmus, experimented on, and then replaced by a clone whose goal was to help destroy the heroes. Hearing about it made Peter's heart ache and he felt drawn to the archer as he had to Bucky. The two would've been great friends. Maybe they could be friends one day should a portal ever be found to bridge the two worlds.

Peter stopped him when he opened his mouth to share how afraid he'd been. He didn't want his new friend to relive the experience. After a month with Cadmus and being “educated” on the League, he was more than well aware of Roy's painful experiences. Instead of making him suffer through a flashback, Peter told Roy about Deadpool.

Deadpool made for one of the best mood lighteners. His dark, sometimes sexual humor, made Roy laugh and chased away the darkness that had come to the surface for both of them.

“...so Deadpool jumps out of nowhere in the middle of the fight dressed like Santa Clause, Deadpool outfit and everything and yells, 'Greenie! You forgot your costume! Santa needs his little helper!' And he pulled out a freakin' elf outfit that looked like Christmas just threw up over everything and I swear to God, Green Goblin runs into a wall!” Peter laughs at the memory and enjoys watching Roy break down laughing at the idea.

“I swear I thought Loki was going to switch sides and shish-kabob Deadpool when he pulled out a sexy elf costume and offered it to me,” Peter laughs, cheeks reddening at the very innuendos Deadpool had made that day.

“Funny thing is Tony looked like he'd be right at Loki's side on that,” Peter remarks absently, as a wave of homesickness takes over.

Roy notices the way Peter's face falls and he switches the subject. “Sounds a bit like Wally,” Roy mentions, inwardly smirking at how Peter's face scrunches with curiosity. “This one time, a kid asked if Flash was going to bring him any presents and he asked if the kid had been good,” he recounts. “Anyways, the kid says he has, just not to his sister.” Peter raises an eyebrow.

“So Flash just looks at him for a second and tells him that Santa's starving to death because he runs on kindness and if the kid isn't good to his sister he'll starve long before he can deliver any presents to anyone.” Peter can't help but grin. He'd read about the Speedster's metabolism and living off kindness? What the fuck.  
“Then the kid looks at him with wide eyes and bursts out in tears, crying and saying he's sorry and he'll 'treat his sister better'. Funny thing is Hawkgirl was passing by and saw how Flash made the kid cry so she goes down and whacks him over the head, dragging him back to the Watchtower, scolding him the entire way about lying to kids.” Roy laughs and Peter can't help but chuckle at the image of Flash looking like a five year old being scolded. He could see it.

They spend the rest of the afternoon trying foods and helping Peter get adjusted to Star City. He finds it feels a lot more like NYC than Central, which had been way too neighborly than what he was used to. It wasn't homey without people there to both love and hate him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea why they ended up telling Christmas stories. Seriously. No freaking clue. Maybe I'm just craving gingerbread? Haha, anyways, still no personal computer yet. The one I've been able to use is really dang picky about when it wants to charge, so this is a rare time that I can update.
> 
> Next chapter I promise more fun times and maybe some actions?  
> Comments are always appreciated!


	19. Rooftop Racing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arsenal and Spider-Man spend some quality time doing what they do best - bashing baddies. They might also spend some time racing on Star City's rooftops.

When Jarvis doesn't inform them that they're being tracked digitally or otherwise, night finds them both racing across the rooftops, patrolling through the city. Though it will be obvious the city in which Pietr and Loki reside once word of Arsenal being back in Star City makes it back to the League, there is still the chance that they could assume Roy slipped back to go home and patrol. Peter's mouth twitches under his mask, 'Or maybe Spider-Man will make them think otherwise.'

  
Peter glances over at Roy, who eyes him and smirks as they dash overhead. 'Oh, that's the way you want to play it,' Peter mutters to himself as he speeds up, passing Roy. 'Game on.'

When Roy passes him, Peter webs in front of him with an exhilarated laugh. “Hey! That's cheating, bug boy!”

“Sure it is,” Peter calls back to Roy as he slings on ahead with Roy following his trail. 'Eat my dust,' he snickers when Roy trips over a flower pot on a rooftop and just about trips over the edge before catching himself. He can't help but give Roy the middle finger when he howls with laughter upon seeing Peter's mistake.  
“Graceful, itsy bitsy!”

Peter has half a mind to turn around, pull up his mask and stick his tongue out but he restrains himself, instead focusing on leaping over one particularly large gap between roofs. He chooses to yell back to Roy and say, “What's the matter porcupine? Can't leap like a spider?”

Roy slips up and barely makes the leap Peter had just made, muttering curses under his breath only available to his enhanced hearing. “Hey! Watch it!” Peter frowns for a moment, unable to fully comprehend why Roy's yelling a warning until he jumps and there's no roof to land on.

Wide-eyed, Peter gulps for a moment, senses screaming 'Idiot!' at him as he feels himself begin to fall towards the side of a building. Webs latch onto the building and he pulls himself onto the brick, feet and hands sticking effective to the side. “Phew!” He wipes his masked brow. 'Close one,' he scolds himself for getting too into their playing.

“You make a good decoration for Halloween!”

Peter looks up and scowls at the playful grin on Roy's face. He's not beyond making funny faces at Roy and egging him on because the archer can't stick to the sides of buildings. “Guess I won, huh!?Can't get this far, can you!” He smirks, victoriously to himself as he sees Roy frown with irritation in return.

“I call rematch!” Roy calls down to him and he shrugs as he climbs up the building to become level with the rooftop Roy's standing on. “Anytime you want, Robin Hood!”

“Oh, 'anytime', huh?” Peter hears the archer mutter to himself, already scheming playfully.

A scream in the distance interrupts any thoughts of another rooftop dash and with a quick glance at each other, they race towards the source. Peter arriving first to see a gang of six surrounding a couple of young women. It's clear they have no good intentions by the dark, sick smiles on their mugs.

“Hey, boys~” Spider-Man sings as he swings into the center, protectively planting himself in front of the young women. “Surely this isn't the way your kindergarden teachers told you to treat ladies. I think you need to go back to fingerpainting and playdough because you seriously need to relearn everything.”

“Oi! Check out this freak!” One of the guys tells the rest. “Thinks he's some sort of hero.” The gang snorts in amusement and disgust.

Spider-Man frowns under his mask. “Rude, aren't you, Pugsy? I know dogs with more manners than your ugly mug,” he quips, enjoying the way it makes them growl.

“Get him!”

Somehow, he manages to get the two women in an alley corner as he dodges crowbars and fists. It's nothing he hasn't done before, but he's wondering where his playmate is. “Hey, Robin Hood! Didja get lost or something!?”

An arrow whizzes by his head and strikes one man with a... boxing glove? 'What in hello?'

“Hey, not everyone spits out webs from their wrists!” Arsenal shouts at him as he fires more arrows, taking down two more guys. Spider-Man pouts. “S'not spit! And it's a device,” he informs the archer as he knocks out two guys, leaving one remaining.

Arsenal snorts. “Sure it's not.”

Spider-Man takes a moment to glare from beneath his mask at the archer, who's on top of a garbage bin trying to look like the king of the world. He's not really angry, at least not especially. It's just teasing, like with Clint, so he responds in kind.

“Whatever you want to believe, Princess Peach,” he retorts as he webs the last guy to the side of a building. His lips twitch when he sees the frown on Arsenal's face, clearly unhappy with his new nickname. When he mouths the name to himself two times, Peter can't help but snort, amused.

“Not funny, bug boy,” Arsenal says as they tie up the gang, making sure the two young women are okay. “I thought it was funny,” Spider-Man mutters as Arsenal calls the capture into the police.

Different worlds don't change shit. The instant his ears pick up the sirens, he scales the side of the building and finds solace on the dark rooftop where he can overlook the situation safely.

Roy eyes the way Peter slips out of sight as the police arrive, but trusts him enough not to leave him behind while he's turning their gang members over to police custody. It's not hard for him to conclude Spider-Man and his world's police force haven't always gotten along by the speed the kid's scrambled away, but he leaves it alone. Everyone has their own rocky starts.

After the police have taken away the gang members and seen the young women home safely, the two find themselves having a break in the dark shadows of one of Star City's parks. They're a bit tired from the fight but more so from their rooftop antics. Anyone looking at them would've found it an amusing sight to see Arsenal and his costumed friend, sitting on a bench at night snacking on meat stuffed bread from a 24-hour bakery, but it fills their stomachs.

“And the whistle blows for the end of the break.” They get up and stretch a little. Patrol never ends just like that. If Star City is anything like NYC, there will be more and since it's a Friday night, Green Arrow is more than well distracted elsewhere.

Spider-Man glances at Arsenal, eyes assessing and a light flickering on inside his mind. “Race you!” he says as he dashes off from Arsenal, leaving him momentarily blanked with cluelessness until what Peter says hits. “Oh, no you don't!” Arsenal calls, smirking. “My turn to get to the dicks first!”

Spider-Man laughs, leaping into the air. “Language!” he reprimands with Captain America in mind. He races off, grinning as he hears Arsenal mutter something about how he'll 'show him language'. It's looking like a fun patrol so far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I said 'tomorrow', but I figured no one would mind a little bit of an.. earlier release date. I was able to finish this chapter in a pleasing amount of time so yeah. Early update. Complaints?
> 
> Hahaha, I'll try to work on the next chapter more tomorrow. Hopefully I can borrow a computer to do so. Anyways~~~ Hope it was a great Friday and enjoy your weekend!


	20. Bad Luck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spider-Man and Arsenal run into some trouble that is more than they can handle, so they call in back-up. Luckily, for Spider-Man, their back-up comes with back-up when the situation gets worse for him.

At least it'd been fun while it lasted. An hour after their break found them in the clutches of a war between two drug cartels. It had started with about five people on each side and both Spider-Man and Arsenal had agreed they could handle it. When it ended up with about forty people on either side, all with a shit ton of high powered weapons was the moment they called for back-up.

Well, it was a lot of Arsenal yelling into his comm system, while Spider-Man dodged bullets and webbed people here and there. He was never so grateful for the training he'd received from Natasha, Bucky, and Daredevil before now. He'd even gotten some great tips from Deadpool (like attaching his web to guns and slinging that around like a caveman, but he tended to leave out the Hulk-like yelling Deadpool tended to do).

“Fuck!” He clutches his arm, the sting of a grazed bullet none too pleasant. It causes him to slip up for a moment that would've been a fatal mistake had he been alone. Luckily, he'd had his archer friend there to watch his back and he thanks the lucky stars as an electricified arrow strikes a man who had been about to shoot him point blank.

“Careful there!” Arsenal calls down to him from his position on a rooftop overhead. Spider-Man just waves his hand as a sign of gratitude and proceeds to spin kick another mafiaso.

“Back-up?” 

“Five minutes!”

Five. Minutes. He's so tired already, he's not sure he can last five more minutes, but somehow he manages. Between dodging bullets (although some manage to graze him, one even managing to bury itself in his upper arm) and kicking butt, back-up finally arrives with a flash of lightning.

“Anyone call for a Speed God?” Flash quips as he swirves between the men, knocking people out cold.

Spider-Man grins, hearing someone scoff. “Easy there, hotshot. Don't go getting all speed racer on us,” a Green Lantern says. It makes Peter chuckle behind his mask, the joke definitely not lost on him despite the pain.

As his sense blare in warning, Spider-Man swivels just in time to see a machine gun. 'What. The. Fuck.'

“Incoming!” he yells, warning the others of the new weapon in play. Lacking any sort of grace, he throws himself behind a dumpster, seeing Flash appear behind Green Lantern and his materialized shield. Peter wishes he could do that. 'Maybe if I rig some sort of energy distributor to gather light molecules to form a physical barrier...'

He shakes himself, preparing to hop back into the fray when pain lances from his leg. He looks down, light-headed and instantly spots the dark stain growing there. How had he not felt that before?

Spider-Man peeks around the dumpster to see Green Lantern take out the machine gun as Flash and Arsenal pick off more of the dwindling mafia members. 'Crime waits for no man.'

Groaning, he webs his leg and shifts to leap back into action when his spider sense blares loudly in his head, causing him to stumble and curse. “Shit!”

“Arsen-“ but he gets cut off when someone brings a metal bat down on his head from behind. Spider-Man stumbles, vision blurring as he holds onto the dumpster for support. He’s already in pain from his bullet wounds and various cuts and bruises, but the concussion makes it hard for him to even think.

“Lookie who I caught, Mister J.” The sing-songy voice grabs his attention and he ignores the throbbing of his head and the way the blood trickles through his hair to look at a black and red clown costumed woman accompanied by a color clashing clown with a taste for purple and green and a mouth that really looks creepy. Harley and Joker.

‘..Fuck.’

“Now, now bug boy, behave and we won’t have to crush you under our heels,” Joker grins at him darkly.

Behaving is the last thing on his mind. He really hates clowns now.

Joker clicks his tongue, shaking his head with fake disappointment as Spider-Man backs away. “Never send a man to do a clown’s job,” Joker says more to himself than Spider-Man and he seems way crazier than Deadpool ever was.

He can hear the fading of fighting behind him and he knows that Green Lantern, Flash, and Arsenal are wrapping up the mafia war. Surely Arsenal’s noticed him missing.  
“Word on the street is that some little Spider is the prettiest puppet capable of destroying the Big Bad Bat and his little justice gang.”

Spider-Man’s heart is racing and his mind is struggling to think through his fear and pain. Who knew his civilian identity and his alter-ego were the same!? How could things get so fucked up so fast! “Wrong spider, smiley! I am anything but against the Justice League,” Peter states, suppressing a shiver of unease.

Joker and Harley shrug. “Maybe you are, maybe you’re not, but I’ve always wanted to smush an overgrown spider.” The way he says it makes him visibly shudder at the prospect. He’s read up about the Gotham criminal and the dude’s killed a lot of people. Plus, you know he’s insane.

They seem to tower his injured form and Spider-Man wishes Loki were there. He wishes he hadn’t left his comm at his apartment so that Jarvis could focus his effects on tracking energy and Cadmus’ movements. He promises next time, things will be different.

“Not today, Joker,” a firm, familiar voice asserts as batarangs fly through the air and knock Harley’s metal bat from her hands as well as a funny looking gun in Joker’s that he hadn’t noticed before.

The two criminals heads whip up, catching sight of Nightwing flipping through the air and landing in front of Spider-Man. Spider-Man heaves a breath of relief at the entrance of the dark acrobat. Joker and Harley are the Bat family’s trouble, so he trusts him to know how to deal with two crazies.  
Joker scowls. “Stay out of this bird breath.”

“Yeah, right,” Nightwing quips sarcastically before he lashes out.

The fight is fast and deadly between the acrobat and the two mad clowns. He might be experiencing blood loss to find himself focusing on how graceful Nightwing is, but he is – graceful that is. 

Nightwing dodges bombs and acid as he dances around them. It’s easy to tell that Joker and Harley are out of their territory with how fast Nightwing takes down Harley. When Arsenal comes into the picture, it’s even easier to take down the grinning maniac.

Nightwing zip ties the two unconscious clowns together as Arsenal makes his way to Spider-Man. Arsenal’s jealousingly enough been able to avoid bullets while Peter had not.  
“Pete- You okay there?” Arsenal asks, wisely sticking with just Pete instead of adding the ‘r’ at the end, which would’ve made it completely different. At least Pete can be a nickname for Pietr too.

“Roger dodger, arrow man,” Spider-Man slurs. It makes Arsenal scoff and retort, “Yeah, you look like you went ten rounds with Batman and got your ass kicked.” Spider-Man frowns but can’t think clear enough to quip that Roy looks like he just had a ‘one-on-one session with Natasha’.

The archer holds his hand out to Peter, who looks at it for a moment before it clicks in his dazed state. “Oh.”

Putting his hand in Arsenal’s, he lets him pull him up, slipping an arm around his waist to support him. “Let’s get you treated.”

“Watchtower?” Arsenal looks at him and he can clearly see that Peter does not want to go back to that floating space station. “Your apartment,” he decides, “with J’onn.” Peter concedes to that. J’onn knows everything after all.

Arsenal gives a short report on how they’d gotten into the situation to Nightwing and Green Lantern, while Flash is poking the two clowns with the discarded metal bat like they’re snakes. They head back to Peter’s with a short transmission to the tower with the request that J’onn meet them at Pietr’s and little else in case anyone else overhears. Patrolling is over for the night, leaving them both worse for wear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I have no idea how this chapter turned out this way. Where did Joker and Harley come from? No. Idea.  
> My mind is the weirdest place right now. I think I'll turn it to a different work and see how if I can't straighten out my thoughts. Maybe?


	21. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roy and Peter make it back to his apartment where get treated by J'onn and proceed to sleep in the next day with no regrets.

Upon arriving at Peter’s apartment, Roy and Peter can barely find the strength to change out of their costumes, but somehow they manage.  J’onn is there, waiting for them with a bunch of medical supplies and some super soldier grade pain killers, which Peter loves to death and he almost feels the need to kiss the Martian.  Luckily he doesn’t.

Following their stitching up and some concern on J’onn’s part, the two collapse in the giant bed of his apartment together, too tired for any issues on sharing to be a problem.  They fell asleep in painful hazes, waiting for the pain killers to kick in, but too exhausted to care.

They’re so exhausted that they don’t wake up the following day until 2pm in the afternoon.  Swearing up and down about muscle pain, they reluctantly drag themselves from their sleepy stupor and into the kitchen only to find J’onn waiting with pipping hot food.  Despite the pain, Peter can’t help but hug the alien before he practically swallows half of the meal fit for four whole.  Roy doesn’t eat as much, but he grunts his appreciation to J’onn between bites.

When the food is all eaten, Peter rises and stretches his arms over his head, feeling residual pain fading away.  “All healed then, Sir?” Jarvis inquires from the computer speaker on his laptop.

He rotates his arms before he responds.  “Just about, Jarvis.”

Roy glares at him for that as Peter makes a show of his recovery with a smirk, teasingly flaunting his healing capabilities.  “Jerk.”

“Sore loser,” Peter retorts.

J’ohn doesn’t say anything, just smiles faintly, amused.  “I am glad to see that you are recovering well, Peter,” he softly says.  Peter smiles at J’onn, grateful for his concern.  “Thank you, J’onn.”

“Perhaps, next time you might inform Loki of any trouble?”  Peter frowns.  Jarvis sounds oddly concerned despite the fact that he had had back-up.  Heck, there were four other heroes there with him.  “The Justice League and Arsenal were there too, you know?”

Jarvis sounds.. unusually bitter for an AI as he replies, “It didn’t stop you from getting ganged up by Gotham’s insane clown, did it?”

Roy exchanges frowns with J’onn as Peter just stares at his laptop, at Jarvis.

When did Jarvis become so protective of him?  He’s not sure.  Jarvis almost sounded like Tony for a moment there and it makes any reproach Peter thought to make vanish in a puff of smoke.  His shoulders sagged a little, emotionally tired.  “I’m okay, Jarvis..  Even if Tony and the Avengers were here, I still might have been hurt.”

A robotic sigh echoes from the speakers.  “My apologies, sir.”  There’s a pause before Jarvis adds, “Do be careful next time.  I would hate to inform the Master of your injuries when he arrives.”

‘ _When he arrives_ ’?  Peter grins.  He said when, not if.  After nearly two years of spending time with the Avengers, Jarvis had developed an attachment to him, it seemed, much like the rest of the Avengers.  Jarvis worrying over him like this stirred happy memories of times he’d spent with the Avengers eating, playing, kicking bad guy butt.

“I will, J.  Thank you,” he murmured with a fond smile towards the laptop, well aware that the AI could see his smile through the webcam lense.

J’onn and Roy watched on with small smiles of their own at the exchange.

The three spent the remainder of the day resting after J’onn had insisted that there was someone on the Watchtower in his place.  He so rarely got out that when he’d asked to take leave, it was granted without a second thought.  Batman had seemed to know where he was going but had left it alone.  They sat on the sofa watching movies on the laptop and trading stories about their personal growth.

It was especially interesting to hear about J’onn’s homeworld of Mars.  Peter had never met a Martian until he’d arrived in this world.  The differences in technology and culture were fascinating and if he had had time, he would’ve asked more about it, but he didn’t want to bombard his alien friend with questions.  He’d looked so sad when he explained how his people had been massacred by another alien species.  Peter knew what it was like to lose those close to him and his heart ached for J’onn.

Roy talked more about his time with Green Arrow and the League.  They had been through a lot.  Roy had been through a lot, between becoming Speedy, getting kidnapped, tortured, and cloned by Cadmus, and then rescued.  When his eyes become cloudy with pain, Peter ran his fingers down Roy’s robotic arm in an attempted to comfort him.  It seemed to work because he’d given Peter a smile in return.

They talk for several hours, which should be dull and boring but when you’re in a new world, it’s anything but.  Peter is more than happy to listen to their stories about being with the League and various missions they’ve done.  Some of them are depressing, with terrible endings and many deaths that remind Peter of the Invasion of NYC, or whatever they’re calling it.

Others, are actually really funny.  Roy has no qualms about telling any and every hilarious story about Flash he can think of.  He even tells Peter about how Flash ate all of J’onn’s oreos once and spent the entire weekend freaking about J’onn being mad at him.  Apparently J’onn had given him the cold shoulder and he did _not_ take it well.

Peter thinks J’onn looks a little smug when Roy mentions how Wally had run out to the store and bought five boxes of oreos to beg forgiveness.  Somehow Peter thinks it was planned.

When night falls in Star City, J’onn gives them both a check-up again, although Peter could tell that he was more than ready to get back on the webs.  Roy, however, was going to need a bit longer for his cracked ribs and knife gash on his side.  He didn’t quite agree, but when J’onn fixed his eyes with Roy’s, he gave up reluctantly.  He would be resting for the night.

“I’ll remain with Roy,” J’onn decided as Peter suited up his stitched up suit that apparently J’onn had taken time to fix.  “We’ll be right here if you need us,” Roy said, still looking dejected that he wouldn’t be allowed to patrol with his new friend.

Why J’onn hadn’t insisted on accompanying him, Peter wasn’t sure, but he hoped it had something to do with the fact that J’onn felt he was trustworthy on his own.

“Watch yourself,” Roy said as Peter opened the apartment window and looked around.  Peter smiled back at him behind the mask.  “Don’t I always?”

J’onn raised an eyebrow, looking mildly amused and about to open his mouth when Peter spotted it.  “Don’t answer that,” Peter pouted, watching as J’onn cut off his response and laughed softly.  “Be safe,” J’onn simply decided to say.

Peter nodded as he turned his back to them and climbed out the window and up the side of the apartment building.  Once he reached the top, his gaze swept the lit up city.  Grinning under his mask he leapt into the open air and flung out a web, shouting with joy.

‘Another night, another mugger to put in jail.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So frustrated with not having a computer of my own to write on. Just glad I'm able to borrow one at the library to work on or I would just explode with the lack of writing. Thanks for your patience!


	22. Not so Solo Patrolling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While out on patrol alone, Spider-Man comes across mercenaries raiding a pharmaceutical facility in Star. Thank Thor for back-up.

Halfway into his patrol, he came across a break in at a laboratory.  Spider-Man’s eyes narrow as men and women in black Kevlar with guns file into run after room in the facility.  It’s a pharmaceutical research facility and that makes it so much worse with all those chemicals and more than likely some strains of illness that scientists are testing the drugs on.

Cursing under his breath, Spider-Man sees some scientists and security guards being led at gun point through a reinforced glass hallway.  He doesn’t like this.  Not.  One.  Bit.  He slips in through a ventilation shaft and lands with a soft thud in a room behind the glass hallway.

“Jarvis,” Peter murmurs under his breath, thanking the stars that he’d thought to bring Jarvis with him this time.

“Sir?”

“Send out a message to the Justice League and inform them of the situation.  Also, see if you can’t hack into this facility’s security system and see if you can’t give me a little back up,” he states as he avoids a security cam and sticks to the ceiling.

“Yes, sir,” Jarvis replies.  “Should I loop the footage that you could be caught on?”

Smirking a little, he quips, “Well if you don’t things could get sticky real fast, J.”

Jarvis ignores his humor, more than used to it with having Tony Stark as the AI’s creator.  “Of course, sir.  Wouldn’t want things to get.. sticky.”

Rolling his eyes, he makes crawls on the ceiling, wincing as he passes through the mostly glass hallway.  Honestly, he didn’t know what was wrong with these people – glass was such a bad idea for a research facility.

“Hand over the A09 drug,” a solid voice demanded.

‘A09.. drug?’  Spider-Man blinked beneath his mask.  He had never heard of such a drug.  The scientists were refusing, but he could tell they were scared from the way their voices quivered.

He swallowed as he cautiously entered the room, upside down on the ceiling.  ‘Machine guns.. always machine guns,’ Spider-Man thought to himself, unhappily.  He wished people would stop carrying them.  He couldn’t decide whether bullets or lasers were better, but he opted for none.

With all the hostages and guns trained on them, he knew he couldn’t just drop down and take them all out without anyone being injured or quite possibly, killed.  ‘Best to wait for back-up and plan things from here,’ he reasoned.

“Hey!  Look!  On the ceiling!  Some freak in a costume!”

…

‘So much for waiting on back-up,’ he complained to himself.  Hanging by his feet, he waved at the ex-soldiers (?).

“Hello, strange people holding guns.  Fancy meeting you here.”

One of the men scowled.  “Who’s the freak?”

Spider-Man frowned, “So rude.”

“Whoever you are, you’ll turned right around and leave or we’ll be forced to exterminate you,” a man with dark hair and muscles beneath his uniform (?) stated.

Spider-Man scoffed.  ‘Like they’re really just going to let me leave.’  It wasn’t hard to see that the rest of the men had trigger fingers.  And seriously, ‘exterminate’?  ‘Rude.’

“How about I just hang out here for a little bit and make sure you play nice with the lab coats?”  Senses already tingling, he tensed, knowing this wasn’t going to turn out well unless someone came to his rescue soon.

The dark haired man’s eyes narrowed, dangerously.  It made him shiver a little.  The look in his eyes was that of someone who enjoyed taking lives no matter how easy it would be to get away.

“So… why don’t we all get to know each other while we wait for you to put your weapons away,” he said, keeping his voice light.  “I’m new in town, but are you soldiers?  Is this a thing?  You all just gather together after dark and attack people in white lab coats?”

“If you’ll pardon this observation, but you sound like Master Stark,” Jarvis relayed in his ear, making him grimace.  Maybe he’d been spending too much time with Tony after all.  Clint was somewhat to blame too.  Deadpool definitely _didn’t_ help when it came to humor in the middle of “business”.

‘Cap would be scolding me on provoking the enemy if he were here,’ Spider-Man noted with a sigh at the idea.

The dark haired man seemed to study him for a second, disdainfully before commanding, “Kill him.”

Spider-Man’s heart jumped in his chest as his spider-sense became almost painful.  “Shit,” he muttered to no one.  He was ready to leap onto the floor and try to draw their fire when something sliced through the air and knocked one of the men’s weapons on the floor by slicing into his hand.

“What the--!?”

A flash of black drew his vision and he turned around almost Flash fast.

“You couldn’t have waited five more minutes?” Batman gruffly asked.  He knew Batman couldn’t see but yes, he had the gall to grin at the dark knight.  “Thought your five minutes were already up,” Spider-Man held up his wrist.  “No watch.”

He wasn’t sure but it looked like Batman might have rolled his eyes behind his cowl.  It made him blink in astonishment.  ‘Did he just…’

Batman flew into the fray, slipping behind a desk as bullets rained down on him.  “Are you coming?” Batman called up to him.  He shook himself.  “Right  behind ya’, Bats!”

Spider-Man flipped behind the next beside Batman, webbing some of the men’s eyes closed on the way down.  “Anyone else joining our party?”  He mentally calculated that the desk wouldn’t hold up much longer, even if it was reinforced metal something was bound to get through the way they kept peppering.

“Lantern’s on his way and Arrow should be here shortly,” Batman replied, peeking out to throw more batarangs.

Spider-Man looked at him blankly.  “… Seriously?  Isn’t this Arrow’s city?  How come he’s late to the party?”

“He was in Central with Flash earlier today,” Batman replied, throwing a smoke bomb that made Spider-Man cough.  He rushed out into the smoke filled room and took out the men guarding the scientists leaving Spider-Man to stumble after him, kicking anyone who swung out to hit him.

As the smoke let up, Spider-Man could see Batman had led the scientists out of the room.  There were about five guys left.  He was about to rush the remaining men when the dark haired man from earlier threw a black, sleek, hand-sized capsule at the two heroes.

“Bomb!”

Spider-Man stared at the grenade as it seemed to hang there in his sight.  ‘Shit.’

He was about to jump back, though it wouldn’t be far enough when green energy shot out and encased the grenade.  Spider-Man released the breath he’d been holding as Green Lantern and Green Arrow came swinging in from a broken window.  Green Arrow was quick to take out two of the men with his arrows leaving three more men.  ‘Wait, two,’ Spider-Man corrected himself as he saw Batman punch one of the guys left.

“Hey Dark Hair!” Spider-Man yelled as he ran at the guy who seemed to be in command.  “Incoming!”  He jumped, dodging bullets mid-air and landed on the dark haired man.

“Damnit,” he yelped as the man’s fist connected with his jaw, knocking him a good five feet away.  The guy was stronger than he looked.  ‘Meta-human?’

Spider-Man winced as he picked himself up from the floor as the dark haired man and the other remaining man rushed him.

An arrow shot out and took down the other man, leaving the dark hair man free to grab him around his throat and lift him in the air.  Throat constricting from the pressure, Spider-Man lashed out, trying to free himself from the steel grip.  ‘Shit, shit, shit, shit…’

“Bad mercenary,” Lantern scolded as his green energy ripped the man holding the red and blue clad boy.  Noting the abnormal strength, Lantern was quick to whack the man against the wall twice, efficiently knocking him out.

Spider-Man rested on his hands and knees, coughing, mask pulled up to his nose.  ‘Ow,’ his throat burned.

A shadow fell over his form, causing him to look up warily.  Batman stood above him, eying him.

“Thought you and Loki were going to take it easy, Pietr,” Batman said, sounding oddly amused and not the slightest bit annoyed like he had all the other times he’d spoken with Peter.

Luckily Green Lantern and Green Arrow seemed to be busy tying the men up together and assessing the damages.  Spider-Man looked up sheepishly at Batman and gave a weak wave.  “Um.. I got bored?”

Batman raised an eyebrow beneath his cowl.

‘Oh this is just going to be tons of fun,’ Spider-Man thought to himself sarcastically.  ‘Tons…’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea where I'm going from here, but I'll be working on it. Hopefully I'll be able to make another trip to the library tomorrow to write more.
> 
> Tell me your thoughts on this current chapter? Not sure how Bats turned out, but ehh...  
> Hope you enjoyed!


	23. Cookie Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the revelation that Batman knows Spider-Man's identity as Pietr, he realizes that Batman isn't much like Fury at all. For one, Fury doesn't do jokes.

After Green Arrow and Green lantern had handed the soldiers over to the police with the promise of getting some answers, Spider-Man found himself sitting on one of the abandoned lab tables in front of Batman. He mentally sent an update on his situation to J’onn who would undoubtedly tell Roy and perhaps join him.

“So…” Spider-Man began, “What gave me away?”

Spider-Man didn’t miss the way Batman’s mouth twitched upwards. It made him a bit more wary than before. He wasn’t used to Batman being so.. friendly? He had originally compared Batman to Fury because he had the whole super-secret-dark type personality down pack, but it seemed Batman was prone to being more open.

Perhaps it was more caution than outright unfriendliness. Pietr _had_ been found in the base of an evil organization intent on creating the perfect weapon to destroy Batman and his hero friends. In that way, he could understand the amount of caution Batman had shown.

“Nothing.”

Spider-Man quirked an eyebrow. Seriously? ‘Nothing’? What kind of answer was that?

“At first,” Batman added, seeming to enjoy confusing him. ‘Damn him,’ Spider-Man thought, pouting.

“Once Spider-Man showed up in Central during the same time you arrived there, it wasn’t hard to put the pieces together,” Batman explained, making Spider-Man frown beneath his mask.

“It was that obvious?” Spider-Man asked, disappointed in himself. Natasha, Clint, and Bucky would sure have something to say about his being found out so easily. He swore to himself to take more ninja spy lessons when he returned home.

“Not necessarily,” Batman objected mysteriously.

When he failed to explain his point, Spider-Man waved his hand, gesturing for him to continue.

“There are a lot of heroes here. It’s one reason the Watchtower is so crowded. You could’ve very well been another newcomer,” he said, “however.” Spider-Man didn’t like the ‘however’.

“However, the agility you showed when trying to get back into the destroyed Cadmus base, as well as the strength and technique you showed during your fight with the Cadmus robots was more than enough to put two and two together.”

Spider-Man just blinked.

“It’s unlikely that anyone else was able to make the connections, although I strongly suspect you told J’onn and perhaps Roy about your identity considering one spent time in your thoughts and the other went with you when you and Loki left the Watchtower,” Batman reasoned.

Spider-Man stared at him in awe. It was like a modern day Sherlock Holmes. If Holmes wore black Kevlar and fought criminals in addition to solving crimes.

“Are you sure you're not a reincarnation of Sherlock Holmes instead of a billionaire that moonlights as a vigilante?” Spider-Man asked, cocking his head to the side.

Instead of a verbal response, Batman just smiled a little as if that were the answer to everything. He didn't seem the least bit curious or suspicious as to how Spider-Man – Pietr – knew his secret identity. Somehow that was a little disconcerting.

“Why aren't you asking 'how'?”

Batman shrugged a shoulder slightly in response. “After all the time Cadmus spent training and testing you, there's little chance they wouldn't have shown you identities of heroes or at least possible identities. With the intelligence you have shown so far in keeping your abilities a secret and hacking into the Watchtower, even with help, it's not a long-shot to assume that you would be able to discern identities even when there are multiple possibilities.”

Blinking, he asked, “Are you serious?”

Batman smirked, “Deadly.”

Eyes wide, he stared at Batman, shocked for a full minute before he burst out laughing. “Oh my god, you're totally joking! Everyone says Batman doesn't joke, but you're totally joking with me!”

Batman chuckled softly, watching Spider-Man hold his gut, laughing. “I do occasionally joke.”

“Coulda fooled me,” Spider-Man remarks.

Batman shakes his head in an almost fond manner.

“Oh. My. God! What the fuck is going on!? Batman laughed!” Spider-Man and Batman turned their attention to Green Arrow who stood there, jaw hanging open beside a stunned silent Green Lantern.

Batman's lips twitched as he saw the frozen faces of his fellow Justice League members. Spider-Man bit his lip to keep from laughing at their dumbfounded faces.

Leaning over to the Bat, Spider-Man murmurs, “You know Roy will never believe this without proof. Good thing I've got those two.” He doesn't expect for Batman to murmur back, “Who says he'll believe _them_?”

Thinking fast, he blurts out, “Jarvis! You heard all that, didn't you? You can be my witness!”

“I can indeed, Sir. Whether or not I should remains to be seen, however,” Jarvis' voice sounds in his ear.

“I heard that,” Batman smugly tells him before walking over to the two stunned heroes. “If your face freezes that way, Flash will never stop laughing,” he tells them, which promptly shakes them back to reality.

While Batman stands at the door to the glass hall leading to the exit, Green Arrow stalks over to Spider-Man, finger pointing in his face. “What did you do?”

“Pardon?”

“How did you get the big bad Bat to laugh?” Green Lantern cuts Green Arrow off from anything he was about to say.

Spider-Man looks to Batman who motions him to join him before looking back to the two green themed heroes. “I told him I was late getting to Granny's,” he says before he bounds over the Batman, smirking at the incredulous looks on the two heroes behind him.

Batman looks behind Spider-Man at the two heroes whose faces are full of utter confusion. “What did you say to them?” He hadn't seen them look so confused since.. well, ever.

Spider-Man shrugs as he begins walking beside Batman out of the complex. “Ehh… I might've told them that I had an appointment I was late for.”

He can just see Batman's raised eyebrow under the cowl. “And do you?”

Spider-Man eyed him, coming to a stop as they stood at the exit. “I have a feeling I do now.”

Batman was silent for a moment. “If you feel like sharing.”

'Hmm.. Guess he's not going to force me to tell,' Peter thought to himself, feeling home-free for a split second. Until he remembered just what Batman was offering him – privacy, which he knew that the dark knight valued highly for himself and not so much when it came to others and the safety of his friends. 'He deserves to know,' Peter admitted to himself.

“I could share. Your place or mine?”

Batman glances to the side at his Batmobile. “Alfred made cookies.”

Spider-Man smiles and walks after Batman who'd begun to head to the Batmobile. Quickly he tells Jarvis to let J'onn and Roy know where he's heading.  A ride is just what he needs to unwind, although he knows the Justice League has the technology to teleport. Perhaps for a simple trip home, one's own transportation is better?

Batman slides into the Batmobile, eyes silently questioning him. “I could eat,” Spider-Man says as he hops into the seat behind him. He didn't mind. Besides, who didn't love cookies?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good news: Yay! My computer is returned to me! (It was expensive and I'm still lacking financial stability, but yay! It's back!)
> 
> About this chapter: I have no idea where this came from. I don't even know when the Avengers will show up. Loki is who knows where and now Peter is going back home with Batman while J'onn and Roy are in his apartment. I have no idea what I'm thinking.
> 
> Please comment and tell me how you like it. I love all of the comments I receive and they are my main motivator. (They also inspire me to keep writing.)  
> Thank you~


	24. Tea and Cookies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter finds himself in Bruce's study having tea and cookies (the best ever) with him as he tells Bruce about himself.

Bruce Wayne's manor was just as big as he pictured it. It was a lot darker than he had hoped though. Kind of like a scene out of Dracula, but without the blood sucking vampires. It did, however, come with a cave. And bats. Peter wasn't sure he liked bats.

“So… this is where all of the Robins trained?” Peter asks, Spider-Man mask pocketed as Batman already knew who he was.

“Most times, yes,” Batman responded, setting his belt aside. It was similar to his own, Peter thought, 'but with more gadgets.'

“Do they still live here?” Peter questioned, because it reminded him a little of Avengers Manor. Tony swore it was the most grand manor there was. It _was_ more technologically tripped out and Peter loved the technology, but some times he thought it was a bit much.

The Wayne Manor was just as grand and it certainly had a heavy security system from what he could see on the cave computer's monitors, but it wasn't overdone like Tony did. There wasn't the elaborate luxury of technology that could support an AI taking care of the place.

“Sometimes,” Bruce replies, cowl withdrawn. He looks a lot less.. well… like Tony's playboy rich kid type. He can though. Peter's read the gossip columns a few times that talked about Bruce Wayne's exploits. 'Still seems like less of a drama queen than Tony can be,' he grimaces at his own comparison.

“Coooollll..”

Bruce motions to a set of clothes on a table. “Change and then meet me upstairs,” he tells Peter before he disappears into a separate room.

“Demanding,” Peter mutters as he spies another small room and slips in, taking little time to change. He doesn't bother pocketing the comm because he wants to have someone on his side, even if it's not really a _someone_ persay.

Once he's changed, he finds the stairs that Bruce and glanced at before he disappeared and treads up, whistling in amusement as he finds himself exiting a.. grandfather clock? 'Haven't I seen this before on a murder-mystery?'

“You must be Master Wayne's guest,” a voice states, startling Peter so much that he jumped with a yelp.

Turning, he finds a butler with graying hair that seems oddly fit for a man of his age. The butler raises an eyebrow like he knows what Peter's think and Peter blushes, shamefully. Aunt May would kill him for being impolite.

“Peter,” he says with an apologetic smile. “Nice to meet you.”

The butler doesn't smile, but his eyes twinkle warmly. “And you as well. I am Master Wayne's butler and confidant – Alfred Pennyworth.” Alfred steps out of the doorway and motions for Peter to go ahead. “Master Wayne is waiting for you in the study. Up the main stairwell and the first door on your right.”

Peter nods and starts to head up when Alfred says, “The cookies will be up shortly.”

Glancing back, Peter smiles, “Thank you.”

The architecture was incredible, he could admit. It also made him feel like a little boy on his way to see the principal about secret keeping. Peter winced before he knocked on the door to the study. “Come in.”

Peter pushed the door open and stuck his head in, nervously. Bruce was sitting at a desk, looking unusually formal for being in his own home. 'Fashion choice?' Peter wondered as he sunk into a chair Bruce had motioned towards.

He had barely gotten comfortable when there was a sharp rap on the door before it opened and Alfred walked in with cookies. 'Fresh cookies,' Peter could tell by the warm, delicious smell.

Bruce chuckled as he watched Peter eye the cookies as Alfred set the platter down on his desk. “Alfred makes the best cookies in Gotham. Perhaps even the world,” Bruce remarks to Peter. Even Bruce has to admit he has no idea how Alfred knows he's going to ask, but before he even opens his mouth there are two cups of Irish black tea with cream and sugar in toe accompanying the cookies on the desk.

When Alfred leaves, closing the door softly behind him, Bruce picks up a cookie and takes a bite. “You can have as many as you want,” he says with a smile. Peter blushes and quickly picks up a cookie, biting into it. He chewed slowly before finishing off the cookie in record time. “These are the best cookies I've ever had.”

Bruce chuckled, watching as Peter finished off two more cookies in under a minute. “I don't lie about Alfred's cooking.”

After a few more cookies for each of them, they sipped their hot tea, doctored the way they liked it. Setting his cup down, Peter looked up at Bruce, looking unsettled. “I guess I should start with the fact that my name isn't Pietr Romanov. It's Peter Parker,” he begins, searching Bruce's face for any emotional reactions, but Bruce keeps his face as neutral as Bucky and Natasha.

“And yeah,” he shrugs with a small smile, “Roy and J'onn _do_ know about me. J'onn needed to know to assess my danger level and Roy figured it out after he helped me out with those robots Cadmus sent after me.”

Bruce nods, slowly, absorbing the information. “How did Cadmus get you?”

“Welllll… technically I'm not from this world. I mean, I am I'm just--”

“From a different dimension,” Bruce finishes his statement with ease. “It makes sense. Aliens tend to have a little more trouble slipping into society.” Peter nods, slowly like he's had that much experience with aliens invading – well, he has, kind of, just none of the kind that want to mix in with society. His world's aliens tend to just go straight for the throat instead of creeping up. NYC for example.

“I take it Loki's also..” Bruce trails off seeing Peter nod with a grin. “He's not the typical type in my world, but he does tend to visit the other dimensions in my world often,” Peter adds on.

“Ahem,” Jarvis interrupts. “You didn't answer Mister Wayne's question.”

Peter blushes a little, embarrassed at losing track of the original question, but Bruce waves it off, partially at fault himself.

“Anyways, where I'm from there are two evil organizations – AIM and Hydra. They're a bit like Cadmus except Hydra has a wider reach. They don't normally team up and I don't want to imagine how that meeting went, but somehow they ended up making a deal with Cadmus for me,” Peter shivers a little at the memory. Bruce frowns sympathetically at him.

“I was on patrol about to head back to Avengers Tower – they're a group of heroes that I live with – for movie night when I was caught off guard and taken. I must've been knocked out for a good while because I woke up in that Cadmus base you found me at.”

“Why you?” Bruce asks, curious.

Peter sighs and runs fingers through his hair. “Bu- There's a super soldier from World War II, actually there's two, but one of them was taken and brainwashed by Hydra into becoming an assassin for them. The process was really terrible. They called him the Winter Soldier. He went after Cap for a while before Cap and some of the Avengers managed to help break him of Hydra's control. He was.. really dangerous,” Peter admits, hesitantly.

Bruce raises an eyebrow as he asks, “How dangerous?”

Peter shrugs, helplessly, “He was an assassin. Killed lots of people. Even Tony's parents.” Peter's eyes flare angrily, but not at Bucky. Never at him. At Hydra because it's their fault. They did it. All of it. None of it was Bucky's fault.

Bruce nods, understandingly. He had seen a great deal and if this 'Winter Soldier' was anything like Ra's, he was dangerous. But he had been brainwashed so it was really Hydra. To be controlled into hurting people, to becoming the perfect tool for such an organization, and – wait…

Realization hitting, Bruce takes a breath and asks, “Are you trying to say that Cadmus was attempting another project like your 'Winter Soldier'?”

Peter nods, frowning.

“Not just on anyone,” a voice startles Bruce into jumping up in a defensive posture. Peter just raises an eyebrow as Loki steps out of the shadows. “It was meant to be Peter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short note: Still trying to figure out how this going to go, but I'm thinking the Avengers/someone from Marvel-verse will make an appearance soon.
> 
> Thank you. Comment if you like (because comments help me write faster)~


	25. When Things Are Looking Up.. They Often Fall Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki brings good news with him about the portal. Unfortunately, something has to rain on their parade.

“How did you...” Bruce shakes his head, relaxing his stance a little as he notices how Peter has barely moved. Loki hasn't made any offensive moves, so it's safe to relax a little. “Nevermind.”

Loki sits in a chair beside Peter, taking one of the leftover cookies and inspecting it, critically.

“What do you mean?” Bruce asks, glancing at Peter with his brows furrowed.

“What I mean, is that the one to become Cadmus' puppet, as the Winter Soldier was to Hydra, was supposed to be Peter,” Loki explains, ignoring the sharp gaze Bruce sent him and taking a bite of the cookie. There were no 'oohs' or 'aahs' about the taste because that was beyond Loki. He simply said it was better than most mortal cooking.

Bruce frowned at Peter when Loki didn't continue, silently asking for more explanation.

Peter sighed, “That day when I broke out and the Justice League came to the Cadmus base, I heard that they were going to begin 'Project Winter Spider'.” Loki's eyes waver over to Peter with concern.

Peter shrugged at Loki, helplessly trying to smile. “Anything I held back, I used to get out of there. I've seen what they did to Bucky. I wasn't about to let anyone use me against my friends let alone anyone else,” he states, eyes glimmering with righteous determination.

Loki smiled a little, leaning towards Peter and running his fingers through his hair lightly. “Always the hero,” he remarked fondly. Peter scowled without any real heat to it. He secretly loved the way Loki cared for him.

Bruce watched, amused. It reminded him of his Robins and how he acted with them. Less like Damian, though the scowling was all Damian or Jason. He smiles at the two and feels good about how he's been able to accept that they aren't a threat. There's a little guilt from how cold he'd been to them, but it couldn't be helped and he believes Peter understands.

“So you sent a copy of the information to the Watchtower to get our attention?” Bruce says more than asks and it makes Peter flush. “Well, yes? I was more or less beaten black and blue for the better portion of the month so.. Back-up was appreciated,” Peter finishes lamely, picking at his shirt sleeve.

Loki's eyes spark with dangerous power and the room rumbles just a little, any tea in their cups remaining rippling. “Loki,” Peter hisses, “stop that.” Loki huffs and lets his anger fade.

“And the portal?” Bruce asks, continuing on like Loki wasn't doing some angry magic a few moments ago.

Peter shrugs with a sigh, “Destroyed when the base self-destructed. I tried to go back and search, but everything was pretty much blown up, so that was a no-go.”

Peter's brows furrow with a sudden thought. “But you said there was talk of another portal,” Peter slowly says, eyes meeting Loki's searching.

Loki nibbles another cookie, nobly. “I did.”

Bruce raises an eyebrow at the two worded reply. “And is there?”

Loki narrows his eyes at Bruce for a moment before relaxing back into his carefree facade. “There is a second portal that's set to be completed in the next day or so.”

“And you know this, how?” Bruce demanded.

Loki frowned, angry at Bruce's demanding tone. 'Impudent mortal,' he barely stopped himself from biting out.

“Loki infiltrated Cadmus to find the second portal,” Peter quickly replies before Loki says something that gets them in trouble. “That's how he knows, right Loki?” He prompts Loki to nod, jaw clenched tightly.

Loki relaxes back into his chair, ignoring Bruce when he doesn't respond to Loki's anger. Peter breathes out, relieved. 'The man who doesn't bow down to a god and the god who doesn't tolerate mortals overstepping their bounds – that could be an ugly fight,' Peter remarks to himself, grimacing at the idea.

A sharp pain lances through his head. Rubbing his temples, he asks, “So the next portal is going to be ready soon?”

Loki frowns, looking at Peter but nods, “Yes. It's going to be hard to get to though.”

Bruce scoffs lightly. “Cadmus won't have a choice.”

Loki glares at Bruce, “You really think that Cadmus doesn't contingency plans? I've heard rumors of jailbreaks and planting bombs to keep your little bunch of heroes busy.”

Bruce's face hardens at the very mention. He's not the biggest fan of Loki, but if what Loki is saying is true, there are going to be a rough next couple of days. He's going to have to let the League know that Cadmus is doing something big and in order to do that he needs to know more about these 'rumors' Loki's heard, so he asks.

Peter sighs, alternating between rubbing his temples and rubbing his eyes as his head throbs. Loki and Bruce are discussing rumors about Cadmus' plans but Peter can't bring himself to pay attention. This headache he's gotten is killing him.

“Sir? Are you alright?” Jarvis' voice softly says in his ear, sounding oddly concerned for an AI.

Peter shakes his head, minutely. The small jostle is all it takes to make his vision blur with pain. Peter hisses, curling in on himself as if that would stop the pain.

'Maybe a hot shower will help,' he reasons with himself, after all he is still sweat from earlier and although he wasn't really hurt badly he knows he needs to clean up to be sure. Standing abruptly and shielding his eyes from bright lights, he asks, “Is there a place I can take a hot shower? I have a little bit of a headache.”

Loki's eyes narrow in concern, but he says nothing. Bruce looks similarly concerned but with a hint of suspicion that Peter's not sure he can tell what it's focused on. “Passed the staircase two doors down on the left is a guest room. Feel free to use the shower there,” Bruce tells him. “Alfred will set out a different set of clothes for you. You're welcome to stay the night.”

Peter just nods, he can't focus on thinking straight right now. The pain is distracting him. He barely makes it out the door when a wave of pain makes him stumble and his hand slams against the wall with a loud thud, leaving an indentation of a hand-print in the wall.

“Shit,” he cursed, not even able to understand Jarvis' words in his ears. “Jarvis,” he whimpered, “shut upppp..”

Spying the staircase, he forced himself to step forward. One foot in front of the next. Just before he reached the staircase, however, he plummeted face first towards the ground.

Peter closed his eyes tightly, unable to get his body to respond, helpless to stop his fall. He faintly realized that his spider-sense wasn't going off. There was only the pain echoing in his head. He clutched his head, desperate to stop the pain, wishing that just by holding it it would stop.

Strong hands reached out and grabbed him before he hit the floor. “Shit! Bruce! Alfred!” A man sunk to his level, pulling Peter against him. “Ssh… it's okay.. it's – Pietr!?”

Peter winced at the volume, squinting through the throbbing to see the one holding him. It was Dick Grayson. Nightwing. Somehow Peter thought he should've seen that coming.

“Dick?” Bruce's voice called before footsteps pounded towards him.

“Peter!” Loki's voice came, sounding extremely worried.

Loki wasn't afraid to admit that he might be panicking, seeing Peter limp in the other man's arms. Peter, who's eyes looked glazed and tears streaked his cheeks, face contorted in agony.

“Oh Odin,” Loki cursed, kneeling down and promptly taking Peter from the man who eyed him suspiciously but when Bruce didn't say anything against it seemed okay with letting Loki take him.

“Peter,” Loki called, voice low pitched, “Peter, what hurts?”

Peter whined in Loki's arms, super strength enhanced grip clinging to Loki's robes. “..'y 'ead...”

Bruce had flipped on a comm and was relaying what was happening to the Watchtower. He looked down at the weeping teen and bit his lip, worried. “Loki.” Loki looked up at him sharply. “Can you get him to the Watchtower from here? J'onn will be waiting to examine Peter.”

Loki normally would've grinned and asked, 'I'm beyond mortals, of course I can,' but right now he was worried about Peter, who moaned in pain in his arms, begging him to make it stop. Loki nodded, curling his arms tighter around Peter before he vanished in a puff of smoke.

Dick eyed Bruce's concerned face and followed him as he marched to the cave's Zeta Beam. “Peter is Pietr.” Bruce nodded.

“He's young,” Dick remarked earning a jaw tightening and a jerky nod from Bruce as he put on his suit. Dick followed Bruce in suiting up and was soon in his Nightwing gear.

“Are you coming?” Bruce asked as he stepped into the Zeta Beam. Dick raised an eyebrow behind his mask. “I didn't put this on for kicks,” he quipped as he stepped in beside Bruce. Peter had already been through so much, so they were both secretly hoping that he would be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the lovely comments (and the suggestions that I've gotten).  
> We're getting to the part in the story where the Avengers ARE going to make an appearance, I swear. First there's some things that they have to deal with, but once Loki can get the portal working in their favor in shall come the Avengers!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know how you liked it. Have a good day/night!


	26. In Mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having collapsed in pain at Wayne Manor, Loki transports Peter to the Watchtower where the doctors get to work on helping him and trying to figure out what's wrong.

Appearing in the Watchtower had varying reactions. One of which was a startled squeak that was very unbecoming of a Green Lantern. The others were caution and panic. J'onn, however, took the situation well having been previously alerted.

“How is he?” J'onn asked, flying up to Loki. Loki ran one hand's fingers through Peter's hair with a frown before he looked up at J'onn. “I'm not sure. He blacked out on the way,” Loki replied seriously.

J'onn didn't hesitate to tell Loki to follow him. They made it to the Med-Bay in record time. Loki set the unconscious teen on a gurney while J'onn used his telepathy to gather all of the medical instruments needed. Several doctors ran in to assist them.

“What happened?” J'onn asked Loki, who stood there refusing to be ushered out of the room.

“I'm not sure. He collapsed saying his head hurt.”

Doctors ducked around J'onn, putting an IV in and attaching monitors as J'onn reached out and tapped on Peter's mental block.

“ _Peter?” J'onn's voice echoed in the void of Peter's Open Space. A soft whine from behind him made him whirl about. “Peter!” J'onn ran to Peter where he was slumped over on the mental plain, holding his head. “J'onn… help me.. it hurts,” he whimpered, looking up at J'onn with wide, teary eyes._

_If he were the swearing type he would be swearing up and down right now. He hated to see Peter looking like this. Before he could even reach out there was a soft tapping sound that echoed in the empty space and Loki appeared._

“ _Peter!” Loki cried out, bending down instantly beside Peter and taking him in his arms. “What's happening, Peter? Tell us,” J'onn pleaded, feeling helpless as his friend lay there in pain._

_Peter whimpered, cling to Loki. “Something in my h-head..”_

_A black tendril slid up Peter's leg, winding itself around his leg as it got higher. J'onn's eyes widened and he pulled Loki away from Peter with a strong jerk._

“ _What!” Loki snapped, angrily at the martian. J'onn pointed to the black tendril, “That.”_

_ Loki's eyes widen as he watches the tendril slip around Peter's middle and extend around his other leg and arms. _

_ Peter whines, brokenly as his body moves under the guidance of the black tendrils. “..le' go!” _

“ _Peter,” Loki rushes forward, grabbing a tendril and pulling as hard as possible on it. It feels like a blade beneath his skin, biting into his hands and almost drawing blood. Had he not been a god, his hands would've been shredded in the attempt._

_ It shivers beneath his hands and lashes out, throwing Loki back only for him to be caught in J'onn's arms. Loki curses in a language J'onn's never heard before, but he can tell what it is. _

_ Neither of them are enjoying the sight of Peter wobbling like a puppet. It reminds Loki of a movie Clint had made them watch one time and he thinks when he gets back to the tower he'll burn it along with Clint's favorite bow for ever allowing that confounded thing to play. _

_ Peter's head lolls to the side, weak. That Loki out of his plans to enjoy a bonfire and before he knows it, he's moving. He grabs the tendrils and pulls. Hard. His magic burns in his veins and his skin color fades into an icy blue. _

Outside the Open Space, Batman and Nightwing have pulled the doctors away the instant Peter's eyes go black and his body stiffens as hard as rock. Loki and J'onn are standing near him, stock still and giving off that 'gone' vibe that usually means J'onn's mind is elsewhere. Literally.

“What the Hell!?” Nightwing exclaims as a pained sound escapes Peter's lips. Batman grits his teeth. He's not looking this. He hates not having information. Well, he  _ has _ information. It's just not the right kind.

“I'm going to check through Cadmus' database,” Batman grinds out, frustrated. Nightwing shoots him a quick glance. “You think Cadmus could've done something?”

Batman feels like shrugging a shoulder, because he's not really sure, but it's possible. “I don't know.” Nightwing's eyes rise under his mask before Batman adds, “but I'm going to find out.”

He turns to leave before he looks back at Peter on the gurney, frozen solid as ice. Nightwing barely looks away from him, concerned for someone who hadn't known him long. “Keep on guard,” Batman advises Nightwing.

“Why?” Nightwing bursts out, confused.

“If it's something Cadmus did, do you really think it's harmless?”

When Nightwing doesn't answer, Batman leaves, stalking to the computer core to go through all the data that Peter's been sending him for any clue as to what's going on.

Left with the two stone still statues, Nightwing just stared at the teen laying on the gurney. 'He's got to be about my age,' Nightwing thought, frowning.

Nightwing jumped when the door slammed open and Arsenal practically flew in. “How is he?”

He raised an eyebrow, curious at his friend's apparent worry. “I don't know,” Nightwing admitted.

Arsenal frowned, pointing to Loki and J'onn. “What's with them?”

“Mind trip.”

“Ah.”

After several minutes of pacing, Nightwing watched Arsenal plop down in a chair beside the gurney. “Made a new friend?”

Arsenal glanced up at Nightwing briefly. “Yeah, he's cool.”

It was surprising to hear the archer admit something so easily. Usually he hated emotions and showing feelings, but this was blunt and honest. It made Nightwing sorry he hadn't taken the time to hang out with.. Peter more. He had been nice company when they had pizza together that night.

Half an hour later they were both startled into the air when Batman burst in, followed by Dr. Midnight. “ Pull those idiots away!” the doctor snapped at Arsenal and Nightwing, who hurried to pull the stiff J'onn and Loki away from the gurney.

D r. Midnight pulled a needle out, flicking the glass slightly before  she dug the needle into the IV and pushed it into the line. Batman was tense as he watched the unmoving form of Peter.

“Will it work?” he asked flicking his eyes from the IV to Peter. Dr. Midnight ran a hand through her hair with a sigh. “I hope so.”

“What's going on?” Arsenal demanded, impatient and unhappy with not knowing what was going on.

“There's a capsule implanted in Pietr's brain stem. It's causing a lot of stress to build up in his nervous system,” Dr. Midnight explained.

Batman continued, “Cadmus planted it there, most likely as a fail safe in case Peter disobeyed. It's supposed to be fail proof and only burst when exposed to a certain frequency, but with Peter's.. nightly activities, it must've been hit in a fight.”

Arsenal felt his heart drop, having been present at the majority of the fights Peter had been in since he'd arrived. He felt guilty for not having been able to protect Peter better. If only he'd been faster, stronger…

“It's not your fault,” Nightwing told him, resting a hand on his friend's shoulder. “The blame lies with Cadmus.”

“And with Hydra. And AIM,” Arsenal spit out, disgusted and angry at any and all evil organizations. He made a promise to himself to blow the next organization he came across sky high.

Nightwing looked puzzled, shooting a questioning gaze at Batman who motioned that he'd tell him later.

“The serum should tackle the chemicals being released in his system,” Dr. Midnight mentioned, trying to lighten the mood.

“'Should'?”

Dr. Midnight held her unease back as she replied, “We can only hope that it hasn't gotten a chance to damage his mental functions, but there's a good chance he'll be okay.”

Arsenal gritted his teeth and returned to staring at Peter almost as still as the seemingly lifeless forms of Loki and J'onn. 'Please let him be okay,' Roy thought to himself as Dr. Midnight slipped out and Nightwing and Batman got comfortable as they waited to see the results.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this answers your question, I_cannot_think_of_a_name_for_my_account?  
> jayswing96 kinda put the idea in my mind and it kind of went awry. Not exactly what jayswing96 suggested but it's maybe okay? Haha, I hope you two will tell me what you think of it.
> 
> Hope everyone enjoyed it! This is my second most popular fanfic (I swear Peter is more popular than my main - Wally).


	27. Webs Always Win

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki can't help Peter physically or mentally, but he'll be damned if he lets Peter go.

_ As the three heroes waited for Peter to get better, Loki and J'onn were having a difficult time ripping the tendrils off. They kept growing back and they moved Peter around like a puppet. The way he cried made their stomachs turn. _

“ _..'oki,” he whimpered, body lashing out if it thought it could reach the two mental visitors._

_ Loki was swearing and cursing inside, doing his best to maintain a calm appearance for Peter's sake. J'onn seemed to be doing the same thing. He hadn't met with J'onn before this and now they were both working for the same goal – freeing Peter. _

“ _Wait,” J'onn said, pulling back, hand on Loki's arm. “Something's changing.”_

_ A shrill screech echoed in the Open Space, screaming from Peter intermingling with the screech. “Peter!” Loki cried out as the tendrils tightened their grip on him, digging into his skin. _

_ Peter fell to his knees, crying out in pain. Tears streaked his cheeks and his eyes locked with Loki's, wide and full of fear. _

_The tendrils' grip on him is so sight, he feels like it will cut off his limbs even though he knows this isn't his physical form. It feels so real though. It takes all his will, all his spider strength to lift his arm, reaching out towards Loki._

“ _..'oki..”_

_He falls, face first, laying limp as the tendrils curl about him with force. They twitched a few times, dangerously, before lashing out at Loki and J'onn._

“ _Shit!” Loki cursed in English as he and J'onn leapt back._

“ _Back, back, back!” J'onn repeated as he kept moving backwards, away from the tendrils._

_They watch, helpless as his body convulses. Loki's dark eyes trained on the barely conscious form of his friend. Somehow, he can't bring himself to move. He's frozen, lost. For once, he's not sure he can face his brother or the Avengers if Peter doesn't make it._

_'If Peter doesn't make it'…._

_'No,' Loki narrows his eyes, stepping forward, heart set. “There is no way in the universes that I am going to let you die.”_

_He doesn't flinch as the black tendrils lash out and strike him, this time more powerfully. Each touch is like electricity. The pain is odd, but not unexpected. A god can't be complete invulnerable. To each their own._

_J'onn watches on as Loki stalks forward without even the slightest hint that he's in pain. He's not human, J'onn knows, so he shouldn't be surprised by the way Loki is handling this, but he is. Peter is his friend too, but to Loki he seems to be something more. 'Family,' J'onn realizes. 'They're just like family.'_

_Loki kneels down, reaching out through the black snaked things and pulls Peter up, moving so that he cradles Peter against his chest. His hold on Peter squeezes a little as Peter's brown eyes meet his, focusing through the pain. “Fight, Peter,” Loki hisses. “Fight, because we're going home. We'll see my brother and his little friends and they'll tease you and act like their monkey selves around me. Fight, because you're you. You're Peter Parker. You're Spider-Man.”_

_He feels a rush of satisfaction when Peter's trembling hand intertwines with his robes and grips it so strong he's worried that his magiked clothes will fall to bits. It's such a strong grip that Loki knows, he can see it, feel it – Peter is fighting._

_The tendrils freeze in the onslaught of their attack, quaking like they're being shook, like they're frightened._

_It's like something from a dream when white tendrils – webs – spring up from Peter's body, grabbing the black tendrils and tightening their grip on them. The webs squeeze it so hard that it lets out an agonized cry, a cry that for once no one is bothered by._

_ The webs pull the tendrils away from Peter, dragging them down into the ground, inch by inch until they're no longer able to be seen. The entire Open Space quivers for a moment, the sound of a rumble filling their ears. _

_ Loki's eyes, that had been trained on the event, look back at Peter and they can see the familiar  mischievous gleam in his eyes that he'd always seen in Peter was wise-cracking. Loki breathes out, relieved. _

“ _So… did I just get molested by black snakes?” Peter quips, voice hoarse and face looking worn with exhaustion._

_ Loki glares at him, but it's ruined by the quirking of his lips in a smile. “Perhaps you just imagined it, Little Spider.” _

_ Peter barks out a laugh. “Hey, it could happen,” he retorts as Loki just raises an amused eyebrow. _

“ _You did well,” J'onn says, coming to a stop beside Loki as he looks down on the two._

_ Peter raises a trembling hand and gives J'onn a thumbs up before his eyes roll back in his head and the entire Open Space goes black, a surge of energy kicking the two from his mind and back into their own bodies. _

Nightwing and Arsenal are avidly watching, waiting for whatever was in the needle to  _ fix _ their friend. The pained sounds that escaped Peter's lip tore on their insides so when it stopped, they were beyond ecstatic, but also a little terrified.

Arsenal is the first to move when Loki and J'onn return to their bodies, proof by the way they stumbled. Batman made it to J'onn and held it him steady as Arsenal did Loki.

“You good?” Arsenal asks, running a critical eye over Loki's form. Loki stretches his limbs, leisurely like he hadn't a trouble in the universes and looked curiously at Arsenal. To have someone become so fond of him was a first, but he hadn't been in New York City when Loki'd unleashed an alien invasion on NYC anyways, so there was that.

“Of course,” Loki replies tersely, looking at Peter's still form on the gurney.

Arsenal nods, slowly. “Okay.. And Peter?”

Loki's eyes met Arsenal's behind the mask and Loki gave him a rare, genuine smile. “He is.”

Batman joins everyone else listening for news in the room as they release an audible breath of relief.

“He's going to be just fine, I believe,” J'onn states with a gentle smile to his patient and friend on the gurney.

They move Peter to another room, away from the prying,  nosy eyes of the other Leaguers, where Arsenal, Nightwing, and Loki drag chairs to Peter's beside and wait. Batman and J'onn had gone off to discuss Cadmus' plans to distract the League while they open the portal. Time hasn't stopped because Peter got hurt.  They'll have to deal with the League and how they plan on handling the situation, but for right now Loki is content to stay by the now sleeping Peter's side.

'Plans are for later,' Loki thinks as he runs a hand over Peter's right cheek, 'but you are for now. Get well soon, Little Spider, for I fear these people will need you and we still have to return home.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, my dear readers!  
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter? Not sure how this made sense anywhere (my head.. the chapter.. meh).
> 
> We're only a short time away before Cadmus makes their move to distract the League and open up their newly working portal. We'll have to see how Peter and Loki handle it and how that turns out, but the Avengers will make an appearance within the next few chapters (promise).
> 
> I will not be able to make an update tomorrow despite my desire to make updates daily, so apologies to my all my readers. I might be able to make two on Wednesday though to make up for it, but we'll have to see.
> 
> Anyways, hope your Monday was good! :)


	28. Where Do We Begin?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter wakes up a bit lost but would that ever stop him?

“Hn?”

Peter's brows furrowed in confusion as he recognized the familiar metallic ceiling of the Justice League's Medbay in the Watchtower. Was he hurt? He couldn't remember. Had he been in a fight? Hadn't he been getting ready to go on patrol and hearing 'take cares' from Roy and J'onn?

A shrill sound hit his eardrums with such force that it made him whine and bring his hands up to cover his ears. At least, he'd tried to. As soon as he tried to move his arms, there was a sensation a lot like hitting your funny bone that spread through his body and left him weak and slightly panicky. It felt like.. over-stimulation. Like all his nerves were working overtime. On 20 cups of coffee.

It made him gasp.

“Peter?” Loki sat straight up in his chair, wasting no time in leaning into Peter's view. Relief and happiness were evident in his eyes, though his face was kept duller.

Roy and Dick were the next to pop into view for Peter, masks discarded and looking at him with tired relief. “You okay, Pete?”

Peter gritted his teeth, ignoring the odd sensation and raised an arm to rub his eyes. Thankfully the sound had faded enough for him to understand their words.

“What happened? How did I get hurt?” Peter asked, frowning as he saw the way they exchanged shocked looks.

Dick shot a worried look at Peter. “I'll go get Doctor Midnight,” he told them before he hurried out of the room, barely managing to put his domino mask back in place.

Peter glanced from Roy to Loki. “What? Is something wrong?”

Roy sat on the bed beside Peter. “Pete, you didn't get hurt.” Loki took over when Roy hesitated to say more. “It was Cadmus, Spider. They inserted a capsule that would poison your mind should you disobey.”

Peter tilted his head, eyebrows coming together as he thought. “And they did that?”

“Not.. not exactly. The doctor thinks it was cracked during.. during a fight,” Roy told him, swallowing hard. “God, Pete, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. If I'd watched out for you more..”

“Uh-uh,” Peter interrupted, making Roy frown. “Not your fault. It's Cadmus' fault.”

“But--”

“Peter's right,” Loki cut him off. “It was Cadmus' fault. _Cadmus_ is to blame.” His eyes flickered with power that made them glow an angry dark blue.

Peter reached out and grabbed Loki's wrist gently, but firmly. “Loki...”

Loki sighed and let the anger fall back into its place. Cadmus would get what's coming to them even if he had to go through the entire fleet. He'd make sure of that.

Doctor Midnight rushed in with Nightwing, Batman, and J'onn on her heels. She quickly shoo-ed Roy away and leaned over Peter, flashing her small light in each eye. “Hello there,” she said softly as he checked his pupil reaction. “How are you feeling?”

Peter looked sheepish as he replied, “I feel like I hit my funny bone, except, well, everywhere.”

Loki raised an eyebrow at that.

The doctor chuckled, “I imagine so. Not a very pleasant feeling, is it? A lot better than pain though I suppose.”

Peter shrugged as the doctor continued looking him over. “So what's the last thing you remember?”

Tilting his head to the side, Peter frowned. “Saying goodbye to Roy and J'onn. I was just heading out to patrol.”

J'onn gave Peter a look that he couldn't quite decipher. Sadness? Concern? ..Self-blame? “Peter,” he slowly said, “you collapsed at Batman's home.”

If Peter weren't suddenly flooded with concern that  _holy shit he can't remember any of that_ he would've laughed at the idea of “Batman's home”. He swallowed, throat seeming to fail him.

“W-what do you mean? Did I meet him during patrol?” He turned his gaze to Batman, away from the doctor who was observing. “Did we patrol together?”

Batman's brow twitched beneath his cowl. “We stopped a robbery and hostage situation. I told you I knew you were Pietr.” Batman paused. “Peter. When we went back to the Cave, you told me your real name and everything else.”

“You had tea and cookies,” Loki added in, eyes sparkling with amusement at Peter's blatant disbelief.

“Tea and cookies. Really?”

Batman handed him a bag of cookies and motioned for him to try one. Peter eyed him for a moment before he opened it and popped a cookie in his mouth.

He blinked. “These are the best cookies. Ever.”

Everyone laughed a little at that, enjoying the lull before they had to continue telling him what happened. Loki ruffled his hair before exchanging a very suspicious looking glance with Batman.

“Peter,” Loki gently told him, “Before you collapsed, I told you I found Cadmus' second portal.” Peter sat up lightning fast, eyes lighting up. Loki hurried to finish his recount before Peter got the wrong idea, although by the look on his face.. “It's due to be completed tomorrow. But! Cadmus is going to cause distractions for the Justice League.”

Peter frowned. “What distractions?”

Loki only hesitated for a moment before admitting, “Bombs and jailbreaks.”

Peter's face hardened, fists clenching around the white sheet of the hospital bed. Roy and Dick looked similarly upset by the news. It was the first they'd heard of it as well.

There were thoughts racing in his mind faster than he thought the Flash could ever run. Not for the first time was he concerned about what to do. The portal could be their only chance to get home, but would he ignore the safety of civilians to return home regardless of whether or not they were from his world? Could he honestly feel no guilt at leaving everything up to the Justice League when what Cadmus had been doing, were doing, was partially his fault?

He thought about everyone he loved. Everyone he missed. Steve's gentle words. Bucky's brash but protective behavior. Tony's sarcastic genius. Bruce's laid-back scientific mind that could go supernova. Clint's adventures in vents. Natasha's cool and deadly personality. Thor's out of this world, literally, sense of reality. Wade's crazy humor. Matt's silent but strong aura.

Everything about them, about him came all at once. They were all heroes (Wade in his own right) and he'd be damned if he didn't do them justice no matter which world he was in. Fuck Cadmus. Fuck Hydra and AIM too, while he was at it. There was no way in Heaven or Hell that he was going to let anyone harm civilians when he could help.

Peter's eyes glinted with determination as he looked at Loki. “Fuck Cadmus.”

Loki's lips twisted in an odd look of pride and sadistic revengeful joy. “Yes,” he hissed in agreement. “Fuck them.”

Hearing the blunt Earth swear from Loki made a laugh pass from Peter's lips. “First we kick butt, save civilians. Then we take down Cadmus and steal the portal right out from under their noses.”

Roy grinned. “Kick butt comes first huh? I like the way you think.”

Dick was smiling beside Roy. Bruce seemed to be fighting his own smile while J'onn was freely looking at Peter with a sort of paternal look of pride.

“Don't forget that you're not alone,” Batman reminded Peter. “The Justice League is more than happy to take down Cadmus.”

Roy leaned closer to Peter and nudged his arm with his elbow. “I've got a bone to pick with them too. You can't hog all the fun to yourselves,” he remarked with a pointed look at both Peter and Loki.

Peter smirked and then looked at Batman with fire in his eyes. “Where do we start?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay of this chapter. Didn't think I was so far in it.
> 
> Anyways, I believe that there will only be about five or so more chapters. We're coming to day of Cadmus' planned attack/the second portal being open. Not quite sure how that's going to go but I have a few scenes in mind that I'm going to add in.
> 
> Out of curiosity, who feels bad for Peter? First he gets kidnapped, taken to another world, experimented on, trapped in said other world, and even when he breaks free Cadmus still manages to sucker punch him. I think he could use a four-leaved clover or a rabbit's foot.
> 
> I don't have an Avengers enter the scene scenario chosen yet, but I'm flipping through some ideas.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter (I can't believe Loki said 'fuck') and that you had a great weekend. Best luck for the rest of the week!


	29. Cadmus' Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After having some time to recover, Peter and Loki join the Original Seven to explain the situation with Cadmus and the portal.

Where to start was unfortunately a loaded question. It was one thing for J'onn and Batman to know Peter and Loki's backgrounds, but a whole other for the rest of the Original Seven to find out. Still, it wasn't something that should be kept from them if they wanted to succeed in taking down Cadmus. That's why Peter sat in a chair at a table opposite the Original Seven with Loki standing at his side.

It was definitely nerve wracking to stand in front of the legends of this world without his mask. Damn he wanted his mask so badly right now. Loki gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze, eyes trained on the other heroes across from them.

“Cadmus will launch a massive wave of attacks across the U.S. tomorrow,” Batman was explaining. Flash, who had looked a bit bored, narrowed his eyes and Peter could see his back stiffen at the announcement.

“What's the purpose?” Hawkgirl asked, hands curled into fists.

“The purpose is to get a second inter-dimension portal up and running.”

“Wait, a minute,” Flash interrupted, ignoring Batman's glare. “When you say 'second' does that mean there was a first?”

Batman nodded, minutely. “The first portal was destroyed when we helped Peter escape. The base self-destructed if you remember.”

Superman nodded, shooting a glance at Peter as his brows furrowed. “Wait, you said 'Peter'. Not Pietr?”

Batman looked over at Peter and motioned for him to take over. As eyes turned to Peter, he was sure that the dizziness was going to make him fall out from his chair out of nerves, but then again it could've just been that he was still recovering. Couldn't remember a damn thing from after he left to patrol earlier.

“I lied to you,” Peter admits, sheepishly as eyes narrow at him. Loki glares at all of the suspicious looks being cast at Peter.

“How?” John – Green Lantern – demanded.

Peter swallowed and subdued the urge to take Loki's hand in his and hold it for support. “My name is really Peter. Peter Parker. And I'm not an ordinary human. I have powers.” He bit his lip a bit before he continued. “Spider powers. I'm Spider-Man. I'm a vigilante in my world.”

There wasn't as big of an outburst as he thought there would be. 'Well, when you're surrounded by super-powered beings and aliens,' Peter shrugged. 'Is this one of those 'when in Rome' times?'

Superman's eyes had hardened minutely at Peter. “Why did you lie?”

Peter suppressed a shiver at the Kryptonian's gaze. It wasn't hard to believe that he could've cut Peter in half just by looking at him. A sound barely escaped Loki's voice sounding a lot like a growl. Peter reached over and patted the god's arm in hopes to help calm him as he answered, “I wasn't sure how you would react and I wasn't in a good place then.”

Peter shrugged. “I was taken from my world and tortured and prepped for experimentation for a month. They were trying to brainwash me into taking you” he gestured at the seven members, “down.”

Diana's brows furrowed. “I do not mean to offend you, but could you really have done such a thing had they been successful? You do not look like much.”

Peter tried not to wince. He knew he looked younger than he was and thin as a twig. Wade often called him 'stick thin', but he _did_ have muscles, thank you very much. They just weren't as noticeable as Steve's… or Bucky's. Or Clint's. Or Natasha's. Or Hulk's (duh). At least he had an advantage over Bruce and Tony.

“He could.” Everyone looked at Flash who was absently tapping a blur on the table. “He might not have been Spider-Man at the time, but I saw him when Arsenal and I teamed up to take out the robbers and then that one sparky guy from Cadmus.” Flash nodded, “If he wanted to, if he could withhold any human emotions, I think he could take us out in a heartbeat.”

There were several gasps of disbelief and Peter could see how Hawkgirl reached for her mace. It made him wince and he had to force himself not to curl inwardly.

“Why is he here then?”

J'onn stepped up. “Because he is not a threat to any of us.” When their gazes landed on him, J'onn continued. “You trusted me judgment when I first tested his mental capacity when we helped him escape Cadmus. Would you not trust me again?”

Batman was the next to take up his defense. “I trust him.”

Even Flash stumbled over those words, taking a few minutes to process and just gape at the dark knight. Then Flash leaned forward in his chair and looked the other members, who were suspicious, in the eyes. “I do too. This is his second time on the Watchtower and he's done nothing but help us. Sure, he's kept his background a secret,” Flash shrugged, “but didn't you do that, Shayera?”

Hawkgirl frowned, thoughtful. “Well, yes, but..” She looked at Peter with searching eyes. “He was with Cadmus for a month. How can we be sure he isn't compromised?”

Peter opened his mouth before promptly closing it when Loki spoke. “He isn't. There were some residual effects of his time in Cadmus, physically as well as mentally, but the Martian and I have observed that Cadmus has no hold over him.”

“Besides,” Loki continued with a sharp, toothy smile, “Peter wouldn't hurt a fly. I, on the other hand, would have no problem crushing those I deemed worthy of it under the heel of my foot.” The god glared at all of the suspicious, questioning members, avoiding Flash as he had taken up the defense for his Spider companion.

Superman, Hawkgirl, and Green Lantern twitched, shifting uncomfortably under the god's glare. They knew a threat when they heard it and coming from a god… Well, they weren't so eager to throw the first punch.

Batman and Flash watched on with an amused look. It wasn't every day they saw the combat ready members looking so sheepish under the glare of another. Even J'onn watched with interest.

“So,” Peter cleared his throat, pulling Loki a little bit closer with a tug on his sleeve and sending him a 'really?' look. “How are we going to take down Cadmus?”

Superman's brows furrowed, “'We'?”

Peter narrowed his eyes at the Kryptonian, emboldened by his desire to stop the organization from harming civilians. “Yes, 'we'. I may not be of this world, but I won't stand back while civilians are being harmed, so if you go after them I'm going too.”

Superman cleared his throat, a light blush coating his cheeks of shame. He'd seen what Spider-Man had done for Central and Star city when he'd gone there. He knew that the teen only had the civilian's safety in mind. Questioning his risk to the heroes had been one thing, but questioning his dedication to saving innocent lives was something that felt taboo to him.

Batman sent Peter a small proud smile that quickly vanished as he assumed command of the room. “According to Loki, Cadmus will attempt to boom several cities throughout the United States and a few in Europe.” A 3-D map lit up in the room with several red spots indicating the cities to be attacked.

Peter paid rapt attention despite getting Loki to fill him in on the gap in his memory.

“They also plan on jailbreaks from Arkham, Iron Heights, and Blackgate, as well as one in Star City.”

'Yikes, Gotham gets hit twice,' Peter cringed. He hated to see green dots light up on the map displaying the jail locations.

“Hera,” Diana breathed in horror as she and the other members stared at the map.

“We need to call in all available members and allies and divide them into groups and send them to each location,” Batman continued.

As soon as they were agreed, things moved fast. Communications became jammed with members calling in acquaintances, allies, and reserved members for back-up. The teleporters and launch bay were busy. Peter watched everyone scramble under orders and get assigned to a team and a location.

“We'll get them,” Peter said, leaning against a wall beside Loki, who looked at him and nodded, confidently. “We'll get them, Spider.”

Countdown: 8 hours until the portal opens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to keep everyone waiting on this chapter. Things are moving quicker in the work than I expected (slower in reality, writing-wise).
> 
> What do you think so far?


	30. Counting Down: 8 to 2 Hours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The League struggles to get it in gear before Cadmus' plan goes down.

“J'onn, you'll stay here and keep an eye on the situation,” Batman stated. “Superman will handle Metropolis. Flash, Central. John, Coast City. Hal will help Red Arrow in Star. And Hawkgirl will lead a dual team into Gotham.” Batman tried not to think about not being in Gotham for the jailbreaks. He'd sent word for the jails to be extra careful and to up security, so hopefully that would help in his absence.

Superman raised an eyebrow as he overlooked the confusion of people below. “You're not going to Gotham?”

Batman shook his head, fists clenched on the railing. “Red Hood and Robin will meet up with Hawkgirl's team and help them. Arsenal, Nightwing, and I will go with Loki and Peter into where they're keeping the portal.”

Loki, who's leaning against a wall with Peter on the overhang above Superman and Batman, raises an eyebrow at the conversation going on below him. He's not one to keep his nose out of things. If there's something that Loki does best it's keeping updated. He can admit that knowledge is a precious thing to him and it's given him the advantage he needs over his enemies many times.

He looks at Peter, who's closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall, leaning heavily against it. Worry flutters in his gut. Peter is still recovering and they've got less than 6 hours before Cadmus starts their attack.

'At least they know better than to separate us,' Loki remarks to himself with a vicious grin. If they had attempted to separate them, Loki would've made them regret the attempt.

Loki brushes off from the wall and goes to the railing, curling his fingers around the cool metal as he looks on. The mass of slightly stronger humans and some aliens all tangled together below him look like ants pathetically trying to seek shelter before the rain.

'The archer, the bat, the acrobat and the Spider and I,' Loki thinks, going through all the information he has on the three looking for their strengths and weaknesses. It makes him frown to realize that they're all normal humans. A bit better trained, but still without abilities.

'Then again.. that female spider was quite deadly for a human,' he reminds himself, so perhaps it'll work out.

Two more hours pass and Loki and Peter stock up on food and rest. Batman's given Peter his belongings, which include several new capsules of webbing and a modified communicator so that Jarvis doesn't have to hack into the League system to remain in the loop. Loki already has his that he – ahem, borrowed.

“-- Get everyone that hasn't started to head out and take up their position to do so now, J'onn,” Loki hears Batman say. “And have Nightwing and Arsenal report to the launch bay.” J'onn responds with a confirmation before he leaves and Loki hears Batman again, except this time he's talking to _him._

“Loki, bring Peter. We're heading out.”

Loki's eyes narrow and he knows that Batman didn't wait to hear a reply. 'The Bat knows what the Bat knows,' he thinks with a small smile of humor.

“Time to go Peter,” Loki informs, turning to look at Peter. Peter stands from his cross-legged seat on the floor and stretches his form. The suit looks okay. Stark's technology should keep Peter from being too badly injured in the battle, but, as Loki is well aware, in battle anything can happen.

Peter's less wobbly and seems to be more alert as they make their way to the launch bay. It settles some of Loki's nerves but not all of them. Still, he's grateful that the memory loss Peter suffered due to Cadmus' foul-up isn't appearing to bother the young Spider too much, but he knows that Peter has his ways of hiding his pain. Loki will keep an eye on him during the battle. No matter what.

“Ready to kick bad guy butt?” Spider-Man asks Arsenal and Nightwing. Arsenal grins and grips his bow a little tighter. “About damn time.”

Nightwing tries not to grin. He's got that stoic dark knight vibe but Spider-Man can clearly see that he's agreeing with Arsenal by the way his lips twitch.

“Let's go,” Batman commands brushing by and entering the ship. Loki shoots Spider-Man a look, who simply shrugs and follows Arsenal and Nightwing onto the ship. Loki trudging in last looking with disgust at the ship. He'd rather his own method of transportation but he wasn't going to leave Peter. Also he's become oddly fond of Arsenal.

It's only with about 3 hours remaining that they touchdown in the technological center of NYC. Apparently Cadmus develops military grade armor in one of the laboratories here. Spider-Man scowls as he looks at the familiar NYC landscape. “Seriously? My home turf? I am so taking away all their toys. No one messes with this shit on my home field,” he mutters to himself, seething at the audacity that Cadmus has to do their dirty work in his – well other world's – NYC. (He might also feel a tad bit elated to be in a familiar city, but that gets overwhelmed by Cadmus.)

Sadly flying there instead of taking the Zetabeams, which were a bit clogged with muscled guys and kick ass ladies, cut their time down. It makes Spider-Man grit his teeth as he looks upon the calm, unsuspecting city. The people there and of cities in various other countries have no idea the storm that's about to hit.

Sure, he knows that the majority of the League trackers were sent out early to locate any bombs, but he's heard that there have only been three out of fifteen bombs recovered and taken care of. Hopefully they'll get more before the jailbreaks occur. Security's been tightened but he's seen super villains escape SHIELD custody a few times and that makes him almost certain that the security won't hold.

“You okay?” A hand rests on his shoulder and he jerks around, startled. It's Nightwing's hand and he's looking at Spider-Man with a concerned frown. Spider-Man smiles but the mask hides his expression so he nods as well. “Just thinking about how they don't know,” he says with a gesture to the city.

Nightwing takes his hand away and looks at the city. “They rarely do though.” Spider-Man agrees fully. If the people of his world knew how many times the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and even the X-Men have fought to save them, he's sure they'd panic.

“Spider-Man, Nightwing,” Batman calls them to attention. They swivel their heads to look at him, Arsenal, and Loki. “Arsenal, Nightwing, and Spider-Man – take the sewer entrance. Loki and I are going to take the front door,” he tells them, exchanging a rare smug look with Loki.

Spider-Man raises an eyebrow and twiddles his fingers at Loki, who rolls his eyes. “Yes, Peter,” he responds, sarcastically, “Magic. As if I would sneak into your Midgardian sewers.” Spider-Man rolls his eyes, “Of course you wouldn't.” Loki raises an eyebrow but doesn't dignify an answer, which is actually his default when dealing with the majority of Spider-Man's quips.

“Stay in contact and be careful. Watch each others' backs,” Batman commands. Loki eyes Arsenal and Nightwing and smiles threateningly, nonverbally telling them that if something happens to Spider-Man, he'll gut them.

Before they split up, Loki steps in front of Spider-Man and puts his hands on his shoulders, looking into his eyes behind the mask. “Be safe. If you get injured I'll never get Stark to shut up.” Spider-Man nods, starting to feel a bit jittery as he replies, “You too, Loki.” Loki merely grins and follows Batman out of the landed ship and they walk right through the front door, compliments of his glammer magic.

“So,” Spider-Man turns to his two companions, clapping his hands together and rubbing them deviously. “Let's go fuck with Cadmus,” he smirks. Nightwing and Arsenal grin in return.

“Let's,” Nightwing replies.

Countdown: less than 2 hours left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this chapter. It's got no action whatsoever. But! We're getting there. Next chapter thing's get shot and blown up. Yay! Hahaha, I hope you have enjoyed your Friday and will enjoy your weekend.


	31. Onward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nightwing, Arsenal, and Spider-Man continue to make their way through the compound, looking for the portal.

Spider-Man crawls on the ceiling of the sewer, snickering when Arsenal complains about stepping in something weird. Arsenal flips Spider-Man off, “If you'd get your bug eyed butt down here, you'd get a taste of this shit too.”

Nightwing doesn't offer up a word of complaint but Spider-Man can tell he's amused when he tells Arsenal that he could just ride piggy-back. Upside down.

They bicker a little until Spider-Man's spider-sense acts up and Nightwing seems to hear something so he gestures for them to still and be quiet. When Nightwing motions for Spider-Man to scout the intersection, he forces down a shudder and crawls over to the cross, peeking around the corner.

'Shit!' he swears as he sees six Cadmus soldiers guarding a locked entrance. They're all heavily armed and carry themselves in a way that he's seen Bucky and Natasha act – ready to kill in a split second.

Spider-Man's lucky that he's on the ceiling watching them eye the level of their sight. He supposes they weren't informed about the extent of his abilities. That suits him just fine. 'Hawkeye Rule #1, if you have the element of surprise, use it to its fullest capacity,' he remembers, embellishing the saying in a less crude way than Clint. He'd use a lot of explicatives and Spider-Man supposed he should save his for the fighting.

He makes his way back to Arsenal and Nightwing who've tensed and are keeping their sharp eyes open for trouble. He drops down onto the wet, disgusting sewer floor, ignoring the squish of something he didn't want to know. “Six soldiers. All highly trained and packing a shit ton of weapons,” he reports.

Even Nightwing swore under his breath before he settled himself, pulling out his eskrima sticks. “Arsenal, think you can give us some cover?”

Arsenal nodded, pulling out a specific arrow and notching it. Nightwing and Spider-Man followed him as they creeped behind the archer.

Spider-Man found himself on the ceiling again as Nightwing murmured softly, “And… now!”

An arrow whizzed passed the soldiers and exploded into a smoke screen. Nightwing and Spider-Man quickly rushed into the dense air and knocked out as many as they could before the soldiers' sight cleared.

“Son of a..” Spider-Man grimaced as he ran a hand over a gash on his side.

One of the two remaining soldiers dashed over to him. The other, fighting Nightwing. An arrow flew passed his head and buried itself in the soldier's arm, inserting some liquid that Spider-Man assumed was a sedative seeing as how the soldier fell over like a load of bricks almost instantly.

“You okay?” Arsenal asked, making his way to Spider-Man. Nightwing quickly took care of the last soldier with a sick crack to the head. Spider-Man winced as he webbed the wound up. “Peachy,” he replied with an unhappy tone.

Arsenal looked like he was about to protest when Nightwing called over to them from the locked door. They made their way over to him as he went about hacking through the lock. He looked like he took a couple of good hits himself, but he wasn't bleeding so Spider-Man counted it as lucky.

“Bingo~” Nightwing grinned as the door opened.

Spider-Man kept his eyes trained for trouble as they moved into the narrow corridors of the underground base. They moved silently. Almost too silently for his taste. It made him nervous and made his senses twist like they were expecting trouble.

When they passed a corridor of laboratories like the one that he'd been kept in almost constantly, tortured in, he shivered noticeably.

“You okay?” Arsenal murmured softly in concern. Spider-Man didn't – couldn't answer as he tried to force the terrible memories down. Arsenal looked from the lab to Spider-Man and realization hit. He reached out and gave Spider-Man's shoulder a gentle, but strong, comforting squeeze. “It's over.” Spider-Man nodded as they pressed onward.

They received a rely from Loki and Batman. The two were finally getting into Cadmus super secret base territory. It was a little late, Spider-Man thought. Maybe he'd have a word with Loki about it later. …Okay, he'd pout and Loki would just give him that smile with a raised eyebrow like he was just laughing all the while.

There were several more soldiers and scientists along the way that they took out, doing their best to keep the alarm from spreading. Jarvis had hacked into their system was keeping them busy. It was almost enough to break his resolve to reach the portal when he reported that a few bombs had gone off and there were criminals running around cities. The League had its hands full and Spider-Man wanted to turn around and kick butt, but he he couldn't. This was also something necessary. Cadmus needed to be stopped – needed to be cut off from Hydra and AIM.

The walls gradually became more reinforced appearing. 'Perhaps.. they needed a stronger area for something? An experiment?' His brows furrowed beneath his mask. A sharp tingling sensation skirted along the back of his head down his spine. His eyes widened.

“Spider, what's wrong?” Nightwing murmured inquisitively. Arsenal had prepared his bow and arrows and kept them at the ready in case anyone tried to surprise them, but he looked back at Nightwing and Spider-Man with a concerned glance.

“I don't..” Spider-Man stumbled over his words. “It's – just.. We're getting close to something.” What, he couldn't tell. It was just that feeling when you knew you were going the right way to a place that wouldn't be pleasant. He equated it to the time that he had been called by Harry to meet at his house and it had been deserted and dark. Peter had crept through the house with the oddest sensation, like now, only to have been attacked by the Green Goblin and nearly beaten to a pulp.

'I'm not going to like this…'

“Be ready,” he told them as he tensed and cautiously padded forward with the two behind him as he followed his senses.

'Never go looking for danger,' Steve had told him once. It was sound advice. Advice he truly tried to follow unless it involved an innocent. Now, he had no choice. “Steve better forgive me for this,” he muttered as he came upon a large steel door.

“Son of a..” The door was thick and strong. It was also most likely wired into the alarm system with a fail safe. “Nightwing, can you..?”

“Already on it,” Nightwing replied as he hooked up his gear. “I shall assist,” Jarvis asserted.

Spider-Man fidgeted beside Arsenal, anxious for the door to hurry up and open. He wanted to make it all stop. Cadmus needed to pay. As if he knew what he was thinking, Arsenal said, “They will.” Spider-Man frowned at him, opening his mouth to ask him how he knew when Nightwing's voice interrupted, “Bingo!”

“J, relay to Loki and Batman that I think we've found it and give them our location,” he whispered softly, wondering if Jarvis actually heard him over the pounding of his heartbeat. It thumps hard in his chest and he wonders if everyone in the facility can hear it.

Spider-Man takes a deep breath and holds it as the door slides open and bright, flickering light washes over them as they enter the room. There's a thin, shrill sound in the air that makes their attention swivel to the room's center. “The portal..” he breathes out with awe.

“Spider-Man,” a dark voice calls out that he recognizes. “Or should I say… Peter Parker. Welcome home.” Amanda Waller steps out from the shadows with five giant figures towering behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the lovely comments. (Ultimately, that's why I was able to finish this chapter and post it so soon, so commenters - thank you.)
> 
> So they've finally found the portal. Not unguarded, of course, so that's going to be troublesome. Batman and Loki are late. (Why?) And I'm so excited for the next chapter - I have this awesome idea that I hope turns out really well.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


	32. Back-up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spider-Man, Nightwing, and Arsenal get pretty knocked around while they wait for back-up.

“ _Welcome home.”_

Spider-Man stumbled backwards, arms reaching out and grabbing him to help steady him. “Shit, Spider-kid!” Arsenal cursed as he curled his hands around Spider-Man's shoulders to keep him from falling. He didn't miss the way the arachnid hero trembled beneath his touch. Nightwing supported him from the other side and Arsenal could tell that he didn't miss it either.

“Peter,” Nightwing murmured, “get it together.” They all needed to get their heads in the game unless they wanted to get their asses beaten. The five giant men behind Amanda Waller set off an automatic fight-or-flight instinct in him. In other words, they were going to be tough to beat.

Spider-Man shook himself, curling his hands into fists to try and stop the shaking there. He wasn't sure if it was anger or fear, but at this point he could hardly care. All he needed to know, was whether or not he could succeed. 'No,' he growled to himself. 'I'm going _home!'_

“This isn't my home,” he hissed at the Cadmus leader. “And I am never going to be another one of your toys again.”

Waller raised an eyebrow with a small, confident smile on her face. “Oh? I never said I was giving you a choice. You will stay here and you will destroy the Justice League.”

Spider-Man scoffed as she raised a hand and flicked it towards them lightly. “Get them and bring the Spider back into our hands.”

Then it was a sudden whirl wind of dodging fists and legs that were way stronger than any normal human could be, even as giants. One punch sliced through the air, tearing a long, bloody line across Arsenal's side. He yelped, quickly retreating to a safe distance and shooting an arrow with liquid nitrogen. He- it? - dodged and Spider-Man could feel the chill of the frozen desk from a distance.

“Shit, fuck, shit, shit, shit!” Spider-Man tried to dodge an outreached hand, but gasped when big, strong fingers wrapped around his upper arm and yanked him forward.

In a moment of sheer genius (better known as 'stupidity'), Spider-Man let himself fall forward towards the giant, but twisted his body and brought his leg up to kick the giant's arm and jerked himself away. He couldn't deny the small scream that passed from his lips as he felt his arm wrench out of socket before he was finally free.

Teary eyed, his good hand rested on his limp arm and he staggered backward from two advancing giants. “Spider-Man!” Nightwing called out, attempting and failing to dodge the giant he was currently contending with. “Peter!” Arsenal yelled, almost too distracted to dodge an incoming punch.

“Jarvis,” Spider-Man ground out in pain as the two giants advanced on him. “Any word on Loki?” He hoped there was. He wouldn't have much of a chance with his shoulder so messed up.

“Loki and Batman appear to be stuck with other soldiers and shutting down the security system,” Jarvis' voice resounded in his ear.

“Fuck,” Spider-Man swore vibrantly. He shuddered as he dodged another hand and stumbled backwards, gasping as the move jerked his limp arm.

“Shit!” He watched as Arsenal was flung back onto the wall and landed with a loud thump on the floor. “Arsenal!” Spider-Man shouted. Met with a low groan, he breathed out, relieved that at least he was alive.

A batarang flung itself passed Spider-Man's head and buried itself in the shoulder of one of the giants. “Move!”

Spider-Man flung himself onto the ceiling, a fair distance away, as the batarang exploded and ice grew over the giant's shoulder and down his arm. “Ooohh.. Frosty,” he whistled.

A quick glance showed him that two giants were approaching Arsenal's form on the floor. “Hey now! Big boys don't break toys!” He jumped over to Arsenal, landing between him and the giants.

Spider-Man gulped as he saw _four_ giants approaching him. 'Not too bad,' he told himself. 'Can't be worse than the Sinister Six.' Except.. he had a dislocated shoulder and he was between the giants and an unconscious hero. 'It..could be worse?'

A yelp made his gaze flicker to Nightwing who had been backhanded and flung across the room. Spider-Man wanted to go to him. He really did, but right now Arsenal needed him more. Nightwing staggered up and nodded towards him, understanding.

Without waiting any longer, Spider-Man threw himself at the giants, delivering a kick to the side of one giant's neck. “Any clue on back-up!?” he yelled as he punched another giant, making it wobble dangerously.

Nightwing grimaced as he wrapped a strong cord around the body of the giant he was facing and pulled tightly as it fell onto its side. “Bats is on his way!”

'At least there's that,' Spider-Man thought to himself before his leg and good arm were grabbed and he was pulled on. “Shit!”

He gritted his teeth and webbed two of the giants in the face, one of which was still iced over on one arm. “Wing!” he gasped out as he felt his body get pulled taunt. “C- c ould use some help here.”

Nightwing glanced up to see Peter being strung out. “Fuck,” he muttered as he ran over to help, throwing batarangs that seemed to have little effect on them. The snap of the cord he'd used on the giant made him choke on his breath.

Pain exploded in Nightwing's head as he was tossed at the wall, sliding down it and landing beside Arsenal, who was just now regaining consciousness. “R-Roy,” Nightwing bit out, blood coating his teeth. Arsenal grunted, forcing himself up as pain made his face scrunch up.

A whine made them look up from each other to see Spider-Man being held by his upper arms and lower legs horizontally. He was struggling and trying to lash out but the arms on his limbs held him only tightly and he cried out in pain.

“Spider-Man!” Nightwing ground out as Arsenal helped him onto his feet, both of them almost falling back down from cracks in their bones, possible fractures.

“Spider!” the familiar voice of Loki shouted as he and Batman finally raced into the room as lights flared, casting deformed shadows across the room.

“Ah-ah!” Waller interrupted, making Batman and Loki still. “One more move and they'll break his neck.” One of the giants had snaked his large hand around Spider-Man's throat and tightened its hold making him gasp.

Loki bares his teeth as he growls, body tense and barely restraining himself from attacking the giants. “Bitch,” he hissed, glaring at the woman.

“Let him go, Waller,” Batman demanded.

Waller gave a confident smile. “I've finally got our experiment back. What makes you think I'd let him go again?”

“Because,” a strong voice spoke out, “Spider-Man is one of us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taken so long to update. I wasn't sure on how to move on for a while there, but I finally found a way to get the story to progress.
> 
> So.. Who's excited? I'm totally excited for the next chapter (no idea what's going to happen yet, but excitement!) Haha, I hope you enjoy your weekend and keep an eye out for more updates, which I promise I will get up as soon as I write them down.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks~


	33. The Avengers' Spider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter that you've all been waiting for.
> 
> Peter might be stuck between a giant and well.. another giant. But he can't help but cry in relief. Their unexpected back-up is someone(s) that he's missed.

Spider-Man jerks as soon as he hears that voice, choking when the hand around his throat tights, holding him still. He tries anyway, struggles to see..

“Ooohh.. Someone's been eating their wheaties!”

“I'm going to fuckin' _fillet_ their giant asses.”

“Spider-Man, don't worry. We'll get you out.”

This time he gets choked for another reason – one the hand on his throat has nothing to do with. He feels his mask dampen as relieved tears fall from his eyes. Spider-Man ignores the hand wrapped around his throat and uses all his strength to turn his head, just slight enough to see..

'You're late,' he wants to tell them, but he also wants to say 'I missed you'.

“Spidey! Don't move too much or you'll become a headless bug!” Deadpool calls out to him.

Daredevil, as usual, is facing exactly where Spider-Man is trapped in their grasp, unseeingly seeing.

“Hulk smash! No hurt Spider!” Hulk booms from his position beside the very deadly looking Bucky, Natasha and Clint.

“Swine, release our companion!” Thor bellows, hammer in his hand sparking. Loki rolls his eyes.

“You tell them, Goldilocks,” Iron Man snarks, repulser aimed at the giants.

“Easy, Tony,” Captain America tells Iron Man, “We don't want to hurt Peter.” He's got his shield that Spider-Man loves so much and begged Steve to let him hold it the first time they'd met.

“Hang in there,” Daredevil tells Spider-Man, sounding strong and composed.

Spider-Man wants to tell them that he is, that he has, but nothing comes out from his mouth except a painful wheeze that makes Daredevil's lip twitch in frown.

Captain takes one step forward and the hands around Spider-Man tighten so painfully that he lets out a strangled whimper. The Captain freezes as do the rest of the Avengers, though Black Widow looks like she's half a second away from attacking and going for any weak points she can find.

The whimper turns into something between a scream and a croak as the giant holding onto his legs twists him into such an odd position that there's a faint crack that sounds like an earthquake to Spider-Man. It's followed by a sharp stab that makes his fuzzy sight black out for a few seconds. 'Oh  _shit._ I didn't know.. Fuck, I just broke a rib or two.'

Deadpool's eyes narrow behind his mask and he raises his guns, aiming for the giants' heads. “Put him down, you shitty fuckers.”

“Deadpool,” Captain starts, warning, but Deadpool just keeps his guns trained on the giants and no one can really blame him.

“Come up with a plan now Cap, or I am going all _Mission Impossible_ on their color blind asses.” Deadpool pauses and then swinging a gun in some silly gesture at Daredevil, he amends. “Did not mean you. Though – yeah, I know. He could use some pink thrown in there, couldn't he? Maybe with some orange..”

“What's the plan, Captain?” Daredevil asks, ignoring Deadpool as he goes on about colors.

Captain looks over the situation and then looks at Hawkeye. “Do you still have that one arrow you used with the Undergrounders?”

Hawkeye smirks and nods. “I know just the one,” he says as he pulls a specific arrow from his quiver and notches it, aiming at the giants.

“Peter,” Captain says softly, “Just hold on a little bit longer.” The Avengers (plus Deadpool and Daredevil) tense up, waiting for the signal to attack.

Spider-Man would love to tell them that he's getting a little tired of waiting and might just 'nod off' for a bit, but he thinks the giant holding his legs just cracked one of his bones with his massive strength.

“And.. go!” Captain yells. Hawkeye aims above the giants and fires, yelling to the oddly dressed people with Loki, “Close your eyes!”

An intense wave of light bursts from the arrow and all of the heroes shut their eyes. The giants screech as their retinas fry, unable to cover their eyes in time or too stupid to know what was about to happen. Their hold on Spider-Man weakens and before he knows it the Avengers are kicking the giants' butts and he's falling onto the floor with a painful hiss as his aching body hits the cold tiles.

'Shit, fuck, shit, fuck,' he moans to himself, praying that none of the giants fall on him. He's already broken enough, thank you very much.

“Peter!” Arsenal and Nightwing fall by his side, weakly with Loki and Batman rushing over to him. “Spider,” Loki looks at him with worried eyes.

Spider-Man groans, coughing and wheezing. His throat feels like its on fire and his shoulder doesn't feel that much better. He's a total wreck. 'This is worse than the time I got on Doctor Doom's bad side,' he notes.

“Peter,” Loki repeats making him furrow his brows in confusion. “What?” he tries to say but all that comes out is a pathetic gurgle. Loki glances up at the battle and it's going well. Hulk is playing with one giant like a toy and the others are taking down the other four.

Loki rips off Peter's mask, needing to see him, to see that he's alive and well. Peter's battered face looks at him and he can see indentations from where he was being strangled. “Shit, Spider..” he curses, running a thumb over Peter's cheek.

“Don't move.”

Waller stands behind him, the barrel of an alien weapon against his head. Loki stills, eyes narrowing dangerously as Arsenal, Nightwing, and Batman freeze.

Something makes a large thud and everyone realizes that the Avengers have just taken down the last of the giants and are now training their attention on how Waller looks like she's about to blow Loki's head off.

“Hand me Peter and we can all go home safe.”

Loki growls, his hand paused on Peter's cheek, seeing the way Peter's frantic, pained eyes widen with fear. It's painful to see. It's almost as painful to realize that he hadn't been there to save Peter from this world's version of Hydra. The idea of being helpless to stop such a thing.. Loki absolutely  _despised it._

'I will  _never_ let anyone hurt him like this  _ ever again.' _ Reacting fast, Loki moves, dagger in one hand as he knocks the gun out of Waller's hand and runs her through her dominant shoulder with the dagger.  _ “Never again,” _ Loki hisses as her blood runs down the blade and she staggers back, eyes glazed with whatever nightmare Loki's beloved cursed blade had conjured up for her. He can't help but give her a toothy smile. 

This time he's protecting Peter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! How was that? Still have another chapter before the JL gets to interact more with the Avengers (+2).
> 
> Thanks for being patient for this introduction into the DC-verse! Let me know what you thought and if you have any opinions on how you think the story will progress from here.


	34. For Our Spider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers have kicked butt, but Peter is injured and there's still a lot of Cadmus plans that need destroying.

Footsteps sound behind him and he turns, ready to attack to protect Peter. “Shit, Antlers,” Iron Man exclaims, “it's just us.”

Loki looks at him for a moment before he scoffs, relaxing. Not that he would've been very apologetic if he'd actually attacked Stark.

“Peter,” Bucky kneels down close to Peter and runs a hand through Peter's hair. “Kid? Kid, wake up..” When did he close his eyes?

Peter grimaces before he lifts his eyelids slowly, squinting as he looked up at the Bucky. “Uh..” It's a hoarse sound, scratchy and painful sounding that makes Bucky's eyes darken and he briefly looks over at the woman who's face looks pale and full of fear. He has half a mind to go over there and finish the job. 'It wouldn't take much.. just some pressure in the right place..'

At a tug on his shirt, he looks back at Peter who's smiling up at him with bloodied lips. There's pain in his eyes, so much pain that's both physical and mental, but his smile is so bright. “Shit, Kid..” Bucky leans down and places his forehead on Peter's. “You're okay.. We have you...”

Hawkeye and Black Widow eye Waller, thinking exactly what Bucky had been thinking. Daredevil stands still, not quite relaxed as he listens to Peter's breathing. Iron Man and Captain America stand beside him looking at Peter with relief and worry mixing on their faces.

Deadpool just walks right up, pushes passed Arsenal and Nightwing like they were nothing, ignoring their protests and plops right on the other side of Peter before he nudges Bucky out of the way. “Hiya Petey!”

Iron Man groans in annoyance. “Shut it, Rust Bucket!”

Deadpool returns his attention to Peter, taking in the wounds. “Petey-pie, you got all bruised and battered,” he whines. “Don't worry,” he sings, “Nurse Deadpool here will fix you right up!” Arsenal and Nightwing exchange extremely lost glances before eyeing the red and black spandex covered, armed-to-the-teeth man.

“We have a Medbay on the Watchtower,” Batman speaks up and the Avengers eye him with suspicion.

“I'm sorry a 'Watchtower'? Like bird watching?” Iron Man gestures to Hawkeye who glares at him.

“No, our headquarters,” Batman replies, ignoring the snarky attitude.

“He needs medical attention. Soon,” Daredevil speaks up. “I think he might have punctured a lung when he fell. It's small right now, but it could get worse.”

Captain opens his mouth when Jarvis' voice speaks up in all of their comms. “Assistance is required in Gotham and Coast City. The League is having a hard time containing the prisoners after the dual jailbreaks and there was a successful detonation of three bombs in Coast City. People are trapped in multiple locations,” Jarvis reported.

The Avengers exchanged glances before Captain cleared his throat, gaining Batman's attention. “We'll go.” Batman eyes him, silently assessing.

Deadpool looked at Captain with a blank face. “The fuck did he just say? - No, I think the portal broke his brain. - Well, look at him, he's like… No, okay, he looks normal. Damn. - I'll ask. Star Spangled~ Why did you just volunteer us for rescue detail? Don't we need to stay with Petey-pie?”

Hawkeye twirled an arrow in his hand. “Because. Do you think Spidey will be able to rest once he finds out? Has he ever let himself sit out of helping people when he can still move?”

Deadpool pouts. “Noooo… Fine. We'll help this League of Extraordinary Costumed People.” He plants a sloppy kiss on Peter's forehead, smirking when Peter makes a face. “Be good Petey.” Hopping up, he dances over to the Avengers. “So what's the plan, my good man?” he asks Captain America.

Not waiting for Batman's response, he begins to answer Deadpool, “Widow, Hawkeye, Hulk, you three take Gotham. Hulk, no smashing the city.” Batman's mouth twitches and he narrows his eyes.

“Thor, Iron Man, and I will take Coast City.”

“Oh oh!” Deadpool waves his hand. “What about  me , oh Captain, my Captain?”

Captain's lips twitched in amusement. “You can still teleport, right?” At a nod, he continued, “You take Widow, Hawkeye, and Hulk to Gotham and give them a hand. Think you can do that?” Deadpool nodded violently.

“Gotham City? I know just where it is,” he says as he fiddles with his belt. “Righty-o! Let's go, Pointy!~” He stops, pointing a gun at the three costumed capers he knows nothing about. “You take care of Spidey or I'll rip your intestines out through your throat,” he sings, a hard glint in his voice.

Deadpool stands in the group of three, spreading his arms out. “Touch me!” Black Widow rolls her eyes and rests a hand on his shoulder while Clint looks mildly disturbing and rests his hand on Deadpool's other shoulder making him whine. Deadpool's arm flashes onto Hulk fast and then they're gone in a small burst of light.

“You think he actually knows where he's going? Iron Man asked Captain America, who shrugged. “It's Deadpool.”

Daredevil tilts his head, “I'm assuming Winter and I are staying here.”

Iron Man nodded, “You two are in charge of Peter.”

“That's all well and good, but how are you two getting to Coast City?”

Iron Man swore vibrantly and then growled, “Deadpool.” Leave it to Deadpool to leave them stranded there.

Peter groans, a low, gravely sound in the back of his throat as he reaches out and tugs on Batman's cape. Batman looks down at him, face softening despite his desire to demand the newcomers to answer his questions. Tears in his eyes, Peter looks at him and Batman knows what he wants to say.

“We can get you there,” Batman grunts as the Avengers' eyes swivel to him.

“How?” Captain asks.

Instead of answering, Batman taps his comm. “J'ohn, three to teleport to Coast City to aid in victim recovery. Can you pull their IDs from my mind?”

“ _Of course, Batman.”_

“As the Pool of Death said, take care of our young companion,” Thor warns. Iron Man squawks in confusion as their bodies begin to teleport.

When they're gone, Arsenal looks at the man with the metal arm – Bucky, as Peter had told him, and the one with horns. “We need to get him to the Medbay.”

Peter whines, squirming as he gasps in pain and his mouth opens and closes. “Ssshhh.. We're here. They'll be back,” Bucky says. Loki looks up at Batman. “Get us up there,” he demands. Batman quirks a brow at being commanded, but he doesn't say anything to contradict Loki.

“J'ohn,” Batman speaks into his comm, “Eight to teleport up to the Watchtower. Is anyone available to keep guard over Waller?  Also send a group to guard the portal here. ”

“ _Affirmative, Batman. Prepare for teleportation.”_

Bucky and Daredevil exchanged a nod before they felt their bodies shift and their vision fade before they blinked. Bucky tensed as he realized they were in a completely different room from before and...was that space. “What the shit..”

“Welcome to the Watchtower,” Nightwing gestured to the large room.

“Later. Medbay now,” Loki hissed, realizing that Peter had lost consciousness again and this time hadn't woken up despite his proddings.

“I've got Waller,” Batman stated. “Loki, can you...”

Loki scoffed. “Of course.” He waved his hand and Peter floated in the air. Without waiting for the others, Loki walked quickly towards the Medbay with Peter by his side. Bucky looked at Arsenal and Nightwing, shrugging before the four headed towards the Medbay  with Daredevil by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I went back and I re-read my work. I have a few errors, but I was mostly reading to remind myself about earlier happenings. And.. I also enjoyed past comments. Noticed I might have lost a few readers during the duration of this so far. It did make me smile beyond belief to read everyone's comments.
> 
> I have to say that when I begun writing this, I wasn't expecting it to get this much support or to go this far, but I am enjoying it immensely. I wish I could make "Dimension Marvel-verse" as great as this, but it's my first time writing the X-Men.
> 
> Anywho, enough of my emotional sappiness. Let me know what you think about how it's going, or if there's any little scene you might like to see and I'll see how it pans out.  
> Thank you for reading and commenting! Hope you enjoyed~


	35. We Might Be Alike

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt and Bucky get acquainted with Arsenal and Nightwing while Peter gets treated.

Matt can honestly say that this was the most unusual place he had ever been in. He was as tense as can be as he followed Bucky and the three others. It was hard for him to decide whether he want to stick closer to Loki or to the two young heroes that seemed to be a few years older than Peter. He was just grateful to be there with Bucky.

The whirring of Bucky's mechanical arm was comforting, but the sound of Peter's rasping breath bit into him like nothing before. He wanted to reach out and whack the two unknown heroes out of his way so that he could be closer to Peter, so that he could be there to protect him.

It was irrational, he knew, because they held no malice towards either Bucky or himself, but after what had happened to Peter.. Perhaps he was allowed to be irrational. Bucky seemed to be. He was constantly shifting his attention to and from Peter. His gait was cautious and Matt could practically hear his metal arm still, battle ready.

Bucky eyed the medical setting as they entered the Medbay, stiffening as he saw the glints of medical equipment. “You okay?” Matt asked Bucky softly. Bucky took a deep, heaving breath and nodded. “They better help Peter or I'll break them.” Matt doesn't doubt him.

Loki sets Peter down on a medical bed as doctors surround them. A green-blue skinned person(?) scuttles among the doctors and lays a hand on Peter's forehead. “He is in significant pain. Several broken ribs, a nearly crushed trachea, a dislocated arm, fractures in his legs, a gash in his side, a concussion and severe bruising,” he clinically reported.

It made Matt and Bucky still, frozen as rage washed over them and they had to fight back the desire to go back down there and rip the giants limb from limb.

“Can you keep him under J'ohn? The amount of medicine required to keep him sedated would complicate his recovery,” Loki asked. He would've done it himself, but he wasn't sure he could keep calm enough, keep enough control over himself to not slip up. J'ohn nodded and his eyes glowed for a moment before he took away his hand.

“Start the IV bags with the highest concentrate,” J'ohn told the doctors and nurses, “but only after his shoulder and broken bones are realigned.” The doctors and nurses nodded and set about before their eyes.

It makes Matt and Bucky want to wince when they hear the subtle sound of bones being put back into place.

“So,” one of the costumed men hold out a hand to Bucky. “You're Bucky. My name is Arsenal.” He paused for a moment before correcting himself and taking his mask off with his other hand. “Roy Harper. Peter's talked about you before. Said we were similar.” He waved his metal hand.

Bucky nodded, slowly, and shook Roy's hand. “Nice to meet you,” he said awkwardly with caution.

“That's Nightwing,” he gestured to the other who was getting patched up by doctors. Nightwing shrugged and added in, “Pleased to meet you.” Roy continued, “And the one who's helping to fix up Peter is J'ohn. He's a Martian.”

Matt quirked a brow. 'That would explain the unusual sounds he had been hearing. It was like a soft hum, almost melodious. Calculating where Roy was, Matt stuck his hand out, “Daredevil. But you can call me Matt.” Roy shook his hand, nodding.

“Hate to say it but Peter's been up here – what is this? His third time?” Roy looked over at Nightwing, who nodded and added in, “Yes. First time was after he was kidnapped and drugged. Second time was when the capsule Cadmus implanted into his brain stem burst and released the toxins into his system.”

Bucky's eyes narrowed and he growled at that. Matt reached out and rested a hand on Bucky's shoulder ignoring the way Bucky flinched. “I think you're going to have to tell us everything,” Matt stated, voice hard and heavy. “But for now.. We'll wait for our team to return before you explain to us how Peter got hurt under your watch.”

Roy grimaced and exchanged a look with Nightwing. Loki eyed the ongoing interaction with a sigh. “The fault is not theirs.”

Bucky glared at Loki, “Well, where were you?”

Loki's eyes flashed and he retorted, “I only arrived after Peter had been kidnapped and drugged. The thing with Cadmus..” His anger dwindled. “Yes, I was there. I should've known. I am deeply apologetic for having been so.. blind to that matter before it became apparent and hurt Peter.”

Bucky and Matt weren't sure how to react to Loki's admittance. They never heard of Loki ever apologizing for anything. Not the destruction of NYC, nor the brainwashing of Clint. This was a first.

“The fault is not yours alone,” J'ohn said, walking over to the group. “We all have our own part in what happened.”

Roy nodded, “We patrolled together. The fights.. Peter took some hits. It must've broken the capsule. I should've watched his back more closely.”

Matt quirked a brow. He wasn't quite sure, but the way the heroes were standing up for each other made him relax minutely. It reminded him of the Avengers and the way they were all feeling guilty for Peter's injuries – Matt could hear it – made him feel a bit better about the whole situation.

Bucky was nodding, silently throughout the exchange. He didn't like this one bit. Practically ignoring the things they were saying and locking his eyes on Peter's form.

Roy got patched up by the doctors, murmuring curses and grimacing as they prodded his injuries. Matt and Bucky watched – or rather listened, in some cases - Nightwing grin at Roy and tell him not to be “such a baby” to which Roy flipped him off.

Loki sat by Peter's bedside, threading his fingers through Peter's hair, silent and focused. Every now and then he'd murmur something about 'amnesia' to J'ohn that made Bucky and Matt frown. They had to fight the desire not to burst with questions because it wasn't the time to question them, it was the time to make sure Peter was going to be okay.

J'ohn stilled as he was wiping a wet clothe across Peter's cheek, eyes glowing for a moment. “Your companions have arrived.”

Bucky and Matt breathed out, relieved. Loki quite honestly didn't seem to care and just ignored J'ohn's news.

“Superman, Hawkgirl, and Batman are accompanying them here,” J'ohn sat, a small frown resting on his lips. “Also,” he added, sounding.. confused(?), “this 'Deadpool' character is grating on Superman and Hawkgirl's nerves. I'm afraid they might wound him.”

Nightwing and Roy's eyes widened, but Matt and Bucky just shrugged. It wasn't anything new to them. Though, considering the amount of time they'd already been there, they were surprised no one had maimed the insanely loud mouthed mercenary by now.

Speaking of.. “Honey~!” The doors burst open with Deadpool at the center. “I'm home!” he sung happily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taken me so long to add a new chapter. I've gotten surprisingly busy for someone with no money income.
> 
> Anywho, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'm excited to add Deadpool to the mix now. It's going to be fun. Starting to wind down on the action, but there will be a little more to come before the the Avengers take Peter and Loki back home with them.  
> Always feel free to comment, because those are like the life of my inspiration and motivation to write. Thank you~


	36. The Wonders of Deadpool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deadpool being Deadpool. Oh and he might've run into some ninja assassins.

Roy frowned when he say the blood littering the black and red spandexed man's body. He didn't appear to be injured though. At least, he didn't appear to be injured anymore. 'Healing,' he remembered from what Peter had said.

“Deadpool, just put a cork in it for once,” a man with red and gold armor grumbled – Tony.

Deadpool wiggled his butt in the man's direction. “Cork that, Tin Can,” he flippantly replied before bounding over to Peter's side and his mood did a total 180. “How's Spidey?”

J'ohn blinked, taking a moment to process. Roy understood. He felt like he was getting whiplash and it had only been a few minutes. Roy could understand why Peter liked him. He was a riot, although Roy also found the man to be quite dangerous. Even in his light-hearted state, Roy was tense with caution.

Another man – Bruce Banner, the Hulk – Roy's mind supplied from Peter's stories and descriptions, walked over beside Loki, picking up Peter's chart and looking through it, an eye running over him.

Black Widow – Natasha – and Hawkeye – Clint – stood at the end of Peter's bed, critical eyes sweeping the room and over Roy, Nightwing, and J'ohn as they assessed the situation. It remind Roy of Batman and how he was always looking for potential danger.

A big man with the build of a giant – Thor – stood silently with the spies, eyes locked on Loki with a flicker of something sad.

Superman and Hawkgirl eyed the two spies in return with a searching gaze. They looked a bit ruffled. 'Deadpool,' Roy remembered. He covered his mouth to hide his grin. Maybe he'd thank Deadpool later for showing him just how much of a mess those two could be.

“He is resting easily,” J'ohn replied, a small twinge of something crossing his face that looked an awful lot like determination. 'For what?'

Matt leaned his head towards Captain America – Steve – and Tony and mentioned, “He appears to be healing rather quickly. Quicker than he did before.”

Bruce looked up from his chart and narrowed his eyes at Peter, moving to the side opposite of Deadpool and peering as if he wanted to see the wounds under all the wrappings and bandages the doctors and nurses had done. “What is the reason?”

“Not the tech,” Tony spoke up, “because it's a bit more.. _advanced_ ” he said the word like he hated the very idea “but it's not that advanced.”

Nightwing looked a bit lost and Bucky was suddenly extremely still. Roy worried that he might be having a flashback, like he had himself a few times. “He's changed,” Loki's soft voice murmured.

“What?”

When Loki didn't answer, Roy felt obliged to. After all, Roy had been through Cadmus' little box of fun before. “Cadmus did it.”

“They had him for almost three weeks,” Batman's voice came, startling the spies and soldiers. Everyone except Batman flinched when a bullet raced passed the dark knight and buried itself in the wall.

“What the _shit_ , man!” Deadpool exclaimed. “You almost made me break my “no kill” rule. - I know, right? Fucker came outta nowhere. - No, not like us. - Wha? Because we're cool.”

“And you have a kunai sticking out of the back of your shoulder,” Batman mentioned.

“Yeah and we – what? _Seriously?”_ Deadpool groaned.

“Yes, pray tell, where did that appear from?” Thor boomed, focusing, as everyone else was, on the kunai embedded in Deadpool's shoulder.

“There weren't any ninja in Gotham,” Clint added in.

Deadpool seemed to roll his eyes behind his mask. “I tried to teleport to grab Mr. Crazy Hair-dye, but ended up in some freaky Frankenstein castle with ninja assassins. - Yeah, gramps was pretty sweet with his katana, not going to lie -” Roy was having an easier time accepting that sometimes Deadpool would say things to himself. Peter had mentioned the voices.

Batman twitched, eyes narrowed.

“Pft,” Deadpool continued talking to himself. “Like gramps could've killed me anyways.” He fingered a cut in his suit. “Fucking old man skewered me though my gut though. Doesn't he know what a bitch it is to fix these suits?”

There was a soft groan and everyone froze. “Oh my _God,_ Deadpool, do you ever shut up?” the hoarse whine came from the hospital bed.

Deadpool's eyes landed on Peter and he grinned so obviously under his mask as he replied, “Awe, Petey-pie~ I do. You just have to put something in my mouth.”

Bucky's eye twitched dangerously and Superman's face turned scarlet as he averted his gaze to a wall. Roy raised an eyebrow.

Peter groaned again and waved off Deadpool's less than subtle innuendo. Loki and Bucky grabbed his shoulders and helped him sit up in the bed. When he was situated, Peter made grabby hands towards Deadpool.

“What?”

Peter narrowed his eyes at Deadpool. “Don't you 'what' me. Hand over the goods.”

Everyone, even the Avengers, looked thoroughly confused. Although Matt simply hid a smile by looking away.

Deadpool waved his pointer finger at Peter. “You, Sir, are sly. Greedy. Beautiful. And I love you,” he rambled as he pulled a bag of Mexican food from seemingly out of nowhere.

Peter grinned and took the bag, ignoring the silent observers of the exchange. “You can keep your love. I'll just take these,” he teased. He quickly tore into four burritos,  eating at a fast pace.

Pausing, Peter turned a little to look at Deadpool. “Also, I hope you whooped Ra's ass,” he mentioned as he pulled the kunai from Deadpool's shoulder and handed it to a bemused Roy, the awe of the League members ignored as Deadpool healed almost instantly.

“Pft, would I do that? - Okay, yes I would,” he patted Peter's head. “Did he hurt you, Honey Bunches-of-Oats? Should I go back and drag him away from his snot water?” Peter raised an eyebrow and nudged him a little. “You did good.” That seemed to please Deadpool into contention.

Deadpool managed to somehow nudge passed Bucky and get in bed with Peter, to the amusement of some and the anger of others. He pulled Peter against his side and rested his head on Peter's. 

Licking sauce from a finger, Peter looked at the Avengers and smiled, red staining his cheeks. “So, yeah. Hi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so. I'm not sure about this chapter, but I loved Deadpool in it and his exchange with Peter. He's just awesome.  
> Also, it's hard to write so many people into one scene in the same room. xD Like yikes. So... most of the people are silent. Whee~
> 
> Anywho. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Leave me comments and let me know what you thought of it if you can. Hope to bring you more soon~


	37. Pie Helps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers aren't the happiest with the League.  
> At least there's pie for Peter.
> 
> Oh and Flash should really look ahead when he's running next time.

'Whoever said the Avengers didn't freak out was a liar.' Peter covered his ears as Tony burst out, “'HI'!? Is that it!?”

Clint slapped a hand over Tony's mouth with a small smile at Peter. “What Tony means is that we really missed you and there's no fucking way that 'hi' is enough. Also,” he pointed out, “You were almost killed.” There was a pointed glare from him and the rest of the Avengers, although Bruce seemed chill enough not to glare, that was directed at the League members.

Tony mumbled something behind Clint's hand, but he didn't take his hand away from Tony's mouth.

“What we want to know is, _who_ allowed you to get hurt,” Natasha stated, a smile on her face that sent shivers down Peter's back. Roy, Nightwing, Hawkgirl, and Superman shivered slightly.

Roy felt the distinct desire to grab Nightwing and haul ass before they found out that he and Wing were there for the entire operation. He also decided that Natasha was freakin' scary. Peter was right. 'If Natasha ever smiles at you, run.'

Peter stretched his arm a little, wincing when it twinged with pain. “Nat,” he said, “I'm okay. I'm good.”

She gave him a pointed look to which he amended, “Almost all good, at least. It's not like this isn't the first time someone's nearly killed me.”

The Avengers gave Peter a look and he held up his hands in surrender. “I heal.”

Deadpool crooned, “Awe, you're so adorable with your healing, Petey-pie, but it's still just healing. You don't heal from being dead like I do.”

Peter huffed, crossing his arms as Deadpool rubbed his cheek in Peter's head. “It's still better than it was.”

“Yeah, and how did you get to heal so much better than before, huh?” Tony asked, a glare at Peter making it more than obvious the question was rhetorical.

“Point,” Peter yawned, rubbing his eyes.

“Why don't we talk elsewhere?” Steve offered to Batman, although it didn't seem like much of an offer. Batman grunted in response and walked towards the door, hanging back for Tony to say, “We'll be right back, Peter.”

Peter just waved with a small smile. When some of them showed concern, he felt obligated to respond, “I'll be fine. Go. Have fun. Get some coffee. Keep Tony from tinkering on anything.” They chuckled and followed Batman out into the hall.

“I think we'll join them,” Superman stated. Then with a look at J'ohn, Nightwing, and Roy asked, “Will you be staying here?” The kryptonian couldn't help but note that Deadpool, Daredevil, and Bucky stayed behind.

Loki, who had not moved, got up with a quick look at J'ohn and replied, “We'll join you. I assume Stark and Banner will want to know more about what Cadmus did to Peter.”

“We would like to know as well,” Matt spoke up.

Loki's lips curled with a soft bit of teasing, “I'm sure Harper and the bird can inform you.”

Deadpool's eyes locked onto Nightwing and Roy and didn't even move as J'ohn and Loki followed Hawkgirl and Superman out of the room. “So,” he said once they had gone, “I don't have super ears” Matt's brow twitched “but I want to know why I heard something about 'amnesia'.”

Peter shrugged and looked at Roy and Nightwing. The two exchanged looks and looked at the three otherworld heroes. “Well..” Nightwing began.

Although he tried really hard to pay attention to the explanation and the angered reactions of the his friends, Peter zoned out a few times, slipping into a place between wake and sleep.

“Petey-pie?”

Peter blinked and shook off the drowsiness. Deadpool was looking at him with a worried expression. Matt and Bucky didn't look much better off. Then again, no one really appeared without their own concerns. “I'm good. Just drifted off a little.”

Matt made a small sound of acceptance.

“Maybe something sweet would help? Mexican food cures all, but sugar is pretty awesome too,” Deadpool suggested, hopping up and heading towards the door without waiting for an answer.

Peter opened his mouth but – _WHAM!_

Deadpool hit the opposite wall with a loud crack, crumbling in unconsciousness. Flash was standing right where Deadpool had been standing, his mouth gaping open.

Everyone just stared. “Oh shit! I didn't see him! I mean – Fuck! I justheardthatyouwerehurtandIwantedtocomecheckonyoubut- Fuck!Wheredidhecomefrom?DidIkillhim?Ohpleasedon'tbedead!” Flash rambled with wide eyes.

Nightwing and Roy looked similarly horrified, but Peter raised an eyebrow at Deadpool. Bucky rolled his eyes and walked over to the fallen mercenary and nudged his side with his foot. “Up and at 'em, fruit cake.”

Flash looked at Bucky like he was crazy. “Are you nuts? Did you not hear his bones c _rack!?”_

Bucky rolled his eyes, ignoring the speedster as he continued, “I thought you wanted to get Peter some dessert?”

Flash opened his mouth again to scold Bucky when Deadpool shot up, hands on his cheeks and mouth obviously hanging open. “Oh em gee! You are so right!”

Nightwing and Flash looked like they'd been slapped silly.

“BRB!” Deadpool air blew a kiss to Peter and hurried out the door without a single glance back.

Roy raised an eyebrow at the door before looking at Peter. “That guy is nuts.”

Matt's lips twitched upwards. “We know.”

Flash was staring right at the door where Deadpool had disappeared to. “What the absolute fuck.”

Nightwing shook his head, tearing his gaze from the door and shaking himself from his own shock and awe to look at Roy who was just grinning at the two. “And that's normal?”

“Pretty much,” was the collective answer those who knew about Deadpool answered.

“Dudeeee,” Flash started, slowly turning his head to look at Peter, “Can you do that too?”

Peter raised an eyebrow and shifted, nervous, as he pulled a blanket closer to him. “No. At least, I don't think so, but I could be wrong now.”

Matt and Bucky frowned shifting closer to Peter and sitting on either side of his bed like guard dogs. “Are you okay?” Matt asked.

Peter sent him a small smile. “All better now,” he told them, forcing a chipper tone as he started to unwrap some of his bandages.

“What the-- Shit, kid. You shouldn't.. Oh.” Bucky's voice trailed off as he saw the faintest traces of wounds where he had been injured. Little splotches of yellow bruises and areas of light pink.

“Yeahhh,” Peter traced one of the bruises that looked weeks old, “I heal faster now.”

A silence filled the room, hanging over the heads of those still in it at the implications of what had to be done for his healing abilities to get so much better.

“Petey-pie! I found apple pie!” Deadpool sung as he slammed the doors open, a pie in each hand. “I also found some kind of Oreo Heaven.”

Matt dodged Deadpool's hip nudge and allowed him to sit heavily beside Peter with a small quirk of his lips.

“Ooh~” Peter leaned to look closer at the pies. “They look amazing.”

While Deadpool and Peter began to eat with silverware that Deadpool had pulled from somewhere, Flash leaned over to Nightwing and whispered, “Where'd he get the pie?”

Nightwing and Roy shrugged. “Ooohhh-kay then,” Flash finally said, zipping over to Peter and opening his mouth just in time for Peter to shove a spoonful of apple pie in his mouth.

“It's good right?”

Flash nodded, brows furrowed in confusion as he ate. Peter smiled up at him. “Good.” Bucky and Matt exchanged amused looks, but inside they were happy to see Peter so relaxed. Maybe they could forgive the League. Maybe.

'I wonder how things are going with Bats and everyone...' Peter wondered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So~ I did say I would update on Tuesday.
> 
> This probably isn't the way that anyone thought about revealing more of Deadpool's abilities to the League, but the scene just got stuck in my head and I wanted to see it play out, so.. yeah.
> 
> What did you think of it?
> 
> I don't have an idea for the next chapter, but hopefully I can gain some inspiration. Thanks~


	38. "Tony, Sit"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers have some words with the Justice League.  
> And then someone breaks it up.

“So. It took you a whole fucking _month_ to get him out of Cadmus?”

Loki raised an eyebrow as he leaned his back on the wall, watching as Tony growled at the Justice League members.

“Now, wait one moment,” Superman began.

“I don't believe Stark is done quite yet,” Natasha interrupted, narrowing her eyes in an icy glare at Superman. He sheepishly looked down, face pale.

“Why thank you, Nat,” Tony gave her a smile, angry emotions flashing in his eyes towards the League. “As I was saying, how come it took you a whole month _and_ Peter's information to realize that Cadmus had a teenage they were experimenting on?”

Batman sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose despite having his cowl on. “We were not aware of any Cadmus activity except for the political moves they've been making to strengthen the military.”

Steve frowned in thought, “While that is troublesome, it appears to be more of a defensive tactic instead of a move for a preemptive strike.”

Green Lantern exchanged frowns with Hawkgirl, unable to deny the man's observation. “We believed the strengthening of the military was a.. prologue to other Cadmus plans, but we did not expect the organization to have them underway already,” Wonder Woman pointed out.

Tony eyed her with a frown. “From what I understand, Cadmus is this world's Hydra and AIM. Surely you should know better than to assume things are as they appear, lady,” Clint refuted.

Wonder Woman's lips curled down. “It's Diana, actually – Princess of the Amazons.”

Clint shrugged, “Clint of the awesome Hawkeye Empire. – Ow!” Natasha bopped Clint's head.

“Natasha,” she told them then with a look towards the other Avengers, introduced them as well.

When Superman opened his mouth, Tony cut him off. “I know. Clark “Glasses are the best disguise” Kent,” he gestured at Superman. Batman smirked a little.

“Shayera Hol, Hal Jordan, J'ohn J'onzz.. Bruce Wayne,” he quirked a brow at Batman. “And then speedy, Wally West.”

Loki sighed, shooting an apologetic look at J'ohn as Tony grinned, proud of himself. “Damn it, Stark.”

Thor quirked a curious brow as he looked at his brother. “What troubles you brother?” he boomed, gaining the attention of everyone in the room.

Loki scowled at him before pushing off the wall and walking in between the two groups. “What troubles me is these idiots arguing over who's to blame for Peter's injuries.”

Green Lantern opened his mouth only to get cut off when Loki glared at him. “Don't tell me you weren't about to blame it on the Avengers for letting Peter out of their sight.” Timidly, Green Lantern bit his lip and looked away.

“Despite our age difference, none of you are children. Peter isn't a typical child either. He's fought countless times and saved many. Even here,” Loki made sure to remind the League members.

Green Lantern tried to open his mouth again, but this time Batman cut him off. “Had Spider-Man not interrupted the hostage situation when he did, there is no doubt that several of those scientists would have lost their lives waiting for the League to arrive.”

Grimacing, Green Lantern acknowledged it, “You're right.”

The Avengers looked quite proud at the admittance. They knew Peter did good work. He had even before he had become an Avenger, even if the news outlets didn't all believe in him.

Loki raised an eyebrow at Superman's agreement. “Not that you liked him much when he revealed the fact we're from another world.”

Tony's eyes narrowed on Superman. “Oh, really?”

Superman looked helplessly to Batman for help, who sighed. Steve pinched the bridge of his nose with annoyance. “Tony,” he warned.

“No, Spangles,” Tony protested, “he was mean to Peter.”

Clint spoke up, “I'm with the Tin Can on this.” Natasha didn't say anything except she might've glared a bit more at Superman than before.

“Oh, come on… Thor?” Steve questioned.

Thor looked confused, “Mayhaps he was confused?”

Tony scoffed, “About Peter's origins? About being a threat?” Thor shuffled a little.

“Superman's mistake is no reason to get angry,” Hawkgirl defended.

Clint raised an eyebrow, “Mistake? To be a bully?”

Wonder Woman frowned, unable to think of a response while Loki and Batman sighed.

“Perhaps this isn't the best time,” J'ohn began only to be ignored.

“I'm sure it was a lovely experience for Peter to be hated for self-preservation,” Bruce finally spoke up after his long silence, eyes with a green tinge to them.

Steve groaned and rubbed his temples, “Bruce.”

Bruce shrugged at Steve, “After being kidnapped, experimented on and tortured, I'm sure Peter really enjoyed having a _hero_ hurt him like that.”

Steve relented upon hearing that. Even he was a bit ticked off at the thought of Superman, of the “Justice League” grilling him for information and judging him.

Tony gave Superman a satisfied smirk. “Not the boy scout you show the world, are you Kent?”

Superman couldn't decide whether to sink further into his guilt or lash out.

“I really must insist,” J'ohn trailed off when he realized only a few people were paying attention to him, but he was largely being ignored. 'Oh well,' he thought.

  
  


“Tony. _Sit.”_

Everyone except Loki and J'ohn whirled to see Peter standing in the doorway looking a bit… well.. angry.

“But the Cape just..” Tony started to whine but Peter shook his head. _“Sit.”_

Tony huffed and took one of the seats by a computer in the room, arms curled over his chest as he pouted.

“I swear, you're both a group of heroes. You save people, you risk your lives trying to do good, what's the problem?” Peter demanded.

Clint and Tony exchanged glances before Clint pointed at Superman. “He started it.”

Peter raised an eyebrow and Clint silently sunk into a seat beside Tony, sheepishly. Superman started to smirk before Peter turned his head and glared.

The Kryptonian slowly sunk into a seat behind him, hands in his lap looking like a child. A soft chuckle caught everyone's attention and they turned towards Batman, eyes wide with shock.

“Nicely done,” Batman nodded towards Peter, who grinned in return.

“Thank you, thank you,” he bowed dramatically. Bruce, Natasha, Loki, Thor, J'ohn, Wonder Woman, and Batman smiled at his theatrics.

“How fare thee?” Thor's loud voice echoed.

Peter pulled back a sleeve and showed them his arm. “Engines back at 100%, Captain.”

Thor looked confused while Steve smiled. Even Tony and Clint smiled, happy to see their youngest back in good health – even if the speed of his recovery did concern them.

“Now then,” Peter continued as Daredevil slipped into the room behind him, “are we all good?”

Superman and Tony exchanged looks before turning their focus back to Peter and nodding. “We're good.”

Daredevil tapped Peter's shoulder lightly and leaned in closely to murmur something. Peter made a face and nodded before Daredevil slipped back out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting to the end of this. Almost time for everyone to say 'bye.
> 
> I admit, it's hard to write as it's winding down. Bit sad to see it slow down towards the end.


	39. Packing It Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flash helps Peter get some of the things he wants to take with him.  
> And more Deadpool antics.

Peter opened his mouth, starting to say something and then a door slammed open behind him and he jumped onto the ceiling, startled.

Flash raised an eyebrow as he looked at the ceiling from the doorway. “You know you're more like a cat than a spider,” he said thoughtfully.

As some of the others snickered, Peter glared at Flash. “Says the gremlin on caffeine.”

Flash tried to look offended as people burst out laughing, but he ended up laughing too.

“Point taken,” he responded cheerfully. “Oh, right. Roy wants to know what to do about your stuff in Star.”

Peter tilted his head to the side before he flipped down from the ceiling, landing softly on the pads of his feet. “Maybe..” he looked at Batman, “..could I keep my computer, you reckon?”

“I don't see why not,” Batman told him.

“Then that and I um.. I took a few pictures during my first few days here. Could I have those too?”

Flash nodded. “I'll grab those now. And the other stuff?”

Peter shrugged. “See if Roy wants it? If not, donate it.”

Smiling, Flash said, “Be back in a flash.”

Peter rolled his eyes and pulled his clothes back into place as they'd gotten a bit.. ruffled from jumping on the ceiling.

With a sudden thought, Peter swore vibrantly and slipped his forgotten comm into his ear and turned it on. “Jarvis, tell Flash I want the light brown book-bag too please!” Jarvis responded with an “Of course.”

Noticing Steve and Superman's disapproving looks at his language, he smiled sheepishly and shrugged. “I bought souvenirs and I forgot all about them.”

“Souvenirs?” Clint leaned closer with interest.

Peter grinned at all the curious looks. At that moment, Flash came rushing in with his brown bag and his laptop. “Here ya go, Pete,” he handed the bag over to Peter and a small smirk spread over his face.

“Why are you smiling like that? Kinda creepy,” Flash noted aloud.

“Beca~use..” Peter rifled through his bag, “I bought Justice League souvenir keychains!” He held out a little more than a handful of keychains in his cupped hands with a gleam in his eyes.

Flash's jaw dropped in a flash. The other members of the Justice League blinked, stunned, while the Avengers looked unimpressed with raised eyebrows. Peter shrugged. “What? I needed a souvenir.”

J'ohn tilted his head for a second, eyes glowing momentarily, before he focused on Peter. “You're friend appears to have questioned Waller.” Batman's eyes narrowed, not in anger, but in thought.

“..And your.. Deadpool friend is very trying,” he added on, making Peter grin.

Clint rolled his eyes, “Try having him bust into your apartment at 3AM on a Monday morning..”

Superman chuckled, already seeming to have gotten a good idea of Deadpool. The other League members did too.

“..So is this it?” Roy asked as he stepped into the room with Bucky and Nightwing.

Peter raised an eyebrow. “Why Roy~ It's like you want me to go. Afraid I'll whip your as- butt” he corrected, thinking of Steve “at rooftop racing again?”

Roy rolled his eyes when Nightwing grinned. “It was a tie last time.” Batman raised an eyebrow. “The roofs ended!” Roy protested. Natasha gave Roy a similar look to which Roy sighed, surrendering. “Fine. Just remember there's only one of us who can stick to the sides of buildings.” Everyone chuckled at Roy's admission.

A hand gripped Peter's shoulder lightly and he turned his head to see Loki giving him a small smile. “No,” he quirked a smile. “I wouldn't say it's the end.” Looking back at Roy, he continued, “I think we can rig up some way to chat.” Loki's lips curled in a sure smile.

“Petey-pie!” Deadpool sings as he leaps into the room. “I had this brilliant idea!” He ignores the groans of annoyance from the Avengers and grins as he grabs Roy and Bucky. He doesn't seem to hear as they protest. “What if we mashed these two together? Then they'd be one full human!” His head tilts. “Or one human with two robotic arms. Either way – Symmetry~”

There are a few.. disturbed looks. Not surprising when it comes to Deadpool and some of his.. odd ideas. “Wade,” Peter says slowly, “that's not possible. If you tried to mash them together you'd just get two dead people.”

Deadpool gasps and looks as Roy and Bucky, gaze flying back and forth before he looks back at Peter. “Really?” Peter nods, “Really.” Deadpool lets them go and they back away from the crazy idea guy. “But we're in a whole 'nother dimension,” he countered Peter.

Peter shook his head. “Still doesn't work like that here.” Deadpool's hands made a heart shape and then let it fall into two pieces signifying a broken heart. He mock sobbed into his hands, murmuring, “the horror.. the agony.. such heartbreak..”

Flash looked at Peter with a “Really?” look. Peter just shrugged and set his stuff aside to hug Deadpool. “There, there,” Peter patted Deadpool's shoulder. “I got you a special keychain.”

Deadpool stopped fake sobbing to look at him curiously. “..You did?” Peter smiled and nodded before going back to his stuff and digging out another keychain.

Peter pulls out a keychain mess with a small taco, burrito, and chimichanga attached to it. “Here,” he holds it out towards Deadpool.

Deadpool stares at Peter for a moment before he throws his hands up and squeals. “Oh Em Gee! You got me the best present on this Earth!”

Peter staggers as Deadpool throws himself onto Peter, wrapping his arms around Peter's form like an octopus after he's taken the keychain from his hands. “You're the best Bestie there ever will be!”

“Ugh, Deadpool, can't breathe!” he complains when Deadpool squeezes him tighter. Deadpool gasps and jumps off him, putting the keychain… somewhere, before he runs his hands over Peter. “Omgosh! Did I hurt you?” he panics.

Peter pushes Deadpool's hands away with a smile. “No, man. I'm okay.” Satisfied he didn't hurt Peter, Deadpool gives him a quick hug before running out, yelling, “I'm going to go show this to DD!”

It's silent for a moment, like the destruction following the wake of a disaster.

Nightwing pipes up, breaking the silence, “He _does_ remember your friend, Daredevil, is _blind_ , right?”

Peter can only shrug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm thinking.. the next chapter will probably be the last. I hope to end it on a light note though (I have a scene I want to write specifically).
> 
> Sorry it took me so long to write this chapter. I've been meaning to work more on this one so that I could start uploading a new fanfiction, but let's face it - I hate endings (I may be the writer but I hate endings).
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and hopefully Deadpool's made your Monday a bit brighter. Have a great week~


	40. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saying 'good-bye' is bittersweet - the final chapter.

They gather in the lab in front of the portal. Peter can't help but rub his goosebump riddled arms. He doesn't like it here. He's not sure he's going to like it where they end up back in his world though either.

“It will turn out alright.” Peter looks over to see J'ohn and can't help but smile a little. “Yeah?”

J'ohn smiles gently at him, “Your friends care a great deal about you.” Peter's eyes sweep over the Avengers who are busy talking to some of the members of the League that have accompanied them to say their 'goodbye's. When Flash zips away for a few seconds and returns with an apple turnover, shoving one in Bucky's face, he can't help but smile and agree with J'ohn, “Yeah. They're amazing.”

Loki looks over at Peter and J'ohn and smiles as he walks over to the two. “I am grateful for your help, Martian.” Loki actually sticks his hand out and J'ohn and Loki shake hands. “I am glad I was able to help,” J'ohn replies.

“Hey Peter!” Roy calls out, grabbing his attention.

“Hm?”

Roy wraps an arm around Peter's shoulder when he gets close enough and pulls Peter closer. “So, Loki tells me that he might be able to figure out a way for us to visit each other sometime,” he murmurs in Peter's ear in a low voice. “Next time I see you, I'm going to kick your ass on the rooftops.”

Peter raises an eyebrow and slips out from Roy's hold, scoffing as he playfully pushes Roy away, trying not to chuckle at the way Roy stumbles from his strength. “As if you could beat me, Arrow Kid.”

Roy narrows his eyes. “Oh, you did _not-_ ” Peter waggles his eyebrows and grins deviously, “Oh, I so _did!”_

Peter takes off as Roy chases after him, laughing as the archer swears he's going to see how much Peter likes to be used as “target practice”. Daredevil raises an eyebrow when Peter ducks around him, using him as a shield against Roy. “No,” he simply refuses and uses some ninja trick to slip out from between them, leaving Peter exposed.

Suddenly vulnerable, Peter leaps onto the ceiling and cackles when Roy actually jumps to see if he could reach Peter (obviously, he couldn't).

Nightwing and Flash shake their heads with smiles as they watch Roy jump to try and get Peter. They knew it wouldn't work out well, but hey, at least Roy tried.

“Peter!” Steve calls, “it's time to go.” The static lightning of the portal flashes behind him. It reminds him of some of those war time commercials featuring “The Greatest American Hero!”

Peter drops to the ground, crouching before he stands up. Flash sweeps him up in a big hug and wishes him “lots of delicious food”. Nightwing and Roy shake his hand and tell them that they'll miss him “but if he's in the neighborhood again to look them up”. It surprises him a little when J'ohn gives him a big hug but he gratefully returns it. Even Batman shakes his hand and tells him that he's strong and to take care.

“Come on, Webs!” Clint calls back to him as one by one the Avengers start stepping through the portal. Peter rolls his eyes and tells the League 'thank you' and 'good-bye' before he dashes up to Loki, who's last after Clint. Loki smiles at him and wraps an arm around Peter's shoulders, careful of his luggage. “Ready to go home?”

Peter smiles up at Loki, practically beaming. “Yes!” The two step through the portal, being the last through.

The other side, back in his world, isn't much different. 'Some Hydra facility somewhere,' he notes. Peter looks back as the portal dies down, a bit sad to leave his friends, but happy to be home.

“So,” Tony claps his hands in his suit, looking a bit awkward, “who wants pizza?” Hands are raised.

Peter grins and snaps his hand into the air faster than Clint can, sticking his tongue out at the mockingly offended archer. 

Steve wraps his arms around Peter, tugging him close as he murmurs, “I'm glad you're back.” Peter hugs him back. Everyone smiles as the two, feeling calmer than they had in a long time. They finally had their little spider back.

Peter was elated to be back in his world. After everything with Cadmus and then having to adjust to life alone in another world, he's grateful to be back where he belongs. He knows he'll miss his new friends that he'd made during his stay there, but Loki had mentioned maybe a way to talk despite the difference.

He knows that there'll be questions from SHIELD, from Bruce and Tony, from whoever will have questions about his new healing abilities and about what happened while he was with Cadmus. Peter will have to deal with that, but he's confident he can.

“Let's go home,” he smiles up at his friends and family.

  


The portal behind them crackles to life once more and Flash's head head and upper torso stick through. “Um, you guys forgot something,” he tells them as he drops Deadpool just outside the portal. “No offense, but I don't think our world can handle him, so next time don't forget to take him with you.” He waves at Peter, winking before slipping back through the portal before it, again dies down.

Peter raises an eyebrow as Deadpool whines, looking back the portal before getting up and brushing the dust off his suit. “Rude,” he mutters about Flash.

Deadpool notices Peter and spreads his arms out with a big smile, “Who wants to go again!?” The Avengers groan in annoyance and Peter chuckles. “We're getting pizza, 'Pool. You coming?”

It's funny how Deadpool squeals and leaps over to Peter, wrapping his arms around him and rubbing his cheek in Peter's hair. “Fuck yes, hot stuff. Let's go be cheesey!”

Shaking his head, they gather together and start to exit the complex. They're about to step into the jet when Deadpool tugs on one of Peter's hands gently. Looking over at him, Deadpool says softly, “I'm glad you're back, Petey-pie.” Daredevil smiles, overhearing it. Peter hugs Deadpool real quick, long enough to whisper back, “Me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And The End.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who's stuck with me this long as I dragged Peter into the DC-verse and through everything he's been through. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
> 
> Thanks for all your kudos and comments - they really helped motivate me and it's thanks to you all that this fanfic got this far.
> 
> I hope you have a great weekend. If you're reading some of my other fanfics, hopefully we'll meet again through those. If not, maybe you might like to read some if they catch your interest. Regardless, thanks for everything! :)

**Author's Note:**

> This is just part of a daydream/desire that I've had (so please forgive me if it gets weird or anything). Completion of this work is dubious until I figure out how to continue.
> 
> Please feel free to comment and tell me how you're liking it.


End file.
